


Proper Nice

by harmonioussolve



Category: Joker (2019)
Genre: Arthur doesn't turn into Joker, Awkward Flirting, Developing Relationship, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Romance, Sex Talk i guess, Slow Burn, maybe smut, not sure where this is going, sorry lol
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-07
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-01-24 17:33:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 25,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21342046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/harmonioussolve/pseuds/harmonioussolve
Summary: You're a hospital event coordinator and you meet Arthur after hiring him for a gig. Then, you find out that he's gonna be your neighbor. Then, maybe you guys fall in love, idk.This is my first fic so be kind and enjoy :-)
Relationships: Arthur Fleck/Original Female Character(s), Arthur Fleck/Reader, Arthur Fleck/You, Joker/You
Comments: 127
Kudos: 432





	1. A Sweet Date

**Author's Note:**

> hi, this is my first fic so please be kind. it's been many, many, many years since i've attempted to write so, this is me in an effort to exercise that again. also, i'm really bad at setting up stories so, this chapter is a little boring tbh. hope u enjoy it xxx its just for fun. oh... and i have no idea where it's going lol.

The weather was overcast and cool today, which is something you used to despise. But the older you got and the longer that you stayed, the more comfortable you became with Gotham’s incessant weather. You were especially grateful for your new comfortable work clothes during this season - black slacks and a coffee colored sweater with black pumps. You carried your purse on your shoulder and your clipboard anchored within your elbow as you walked into the hospital. It was yet another dreary work day but, at least you liked your job.

For the designated cynic of your friend group, you oddly enjoyed being around the children in the hospital. The only downside was having to travel around to the other hospitals all day, every day, hopping on and off of the subway constantly. Days like today would make it worth it though. You had organized a small event on one of the children’s floors for entertainers to come by - a few clowns from a local entertainment renters place uptown called Ha-Ha’s. Clowns were not your thing and you shuttered slightly at the thought of spending a copious amount of time with some, but you would do it for the kids to make them happy. Plus, it was an excuse to stay in one location for most of the day, and maybe have a real lunch.

Your heels clicked across the lobby as you made your way to the elevator and punched in the button of your floor. It creaked upwards a handful of floors and slowed to a stop, opening the doors as you stepped out. 

A few of the children shouted your name with smiles stretching across their faces. You thought that you were horrible with kids, but a few of them at the hospitals adored you. 

A small, blonde girl ran in your direction. She was so tiny that her hospital gown almost completely swallowed her. Her head only reached about mid-thigh on you, especially in heels, as she wrapped her arms around your legs.

“You’re here!” she exclaimed, eyes shut and still squeezing you for dear life. “Are you spending the day with us?”

Her lashes fluttered as she tilted her head up to look at you with hopeful eyes. The corners of your mouth twitched - were you going to smile or frown? It warmed your heart to see someone so happy to see you, but you wished it wasn’t in this situation.

“Of course I am!” you sung excitedly. You hated showing this much enthusiasm because it wasn’t who you were at all and you could feel your face begin to flush. You patted her shoulder as she released your legs and walked beside you. You peered around the room - some of the kids were staring and so was the clown.

Your brows furrowed in confusion, since you swore that you had hired two clowns, not just one. He wore a colorful ensemble - a suit with greens and reds and yellows - and a green fluffy wig. The base of his makeup was white with classic clown accents - blue triangles above and below the eyes, red outstretched lips, and a styrofoam nose. You approached him with your lips pressed together, trying to remain composed at his silly appearance, and introduced yourself with a shake of the hand.

“I’m the coordinator here, I organized the event,” you stated as he stared at you with wide eyes and lips parted. Had you spoken loud enough over the chatter of the kids for him to hear you? 

Just when you thought he wasn’t going to answer, he did.

“I-I’m Arthur - well Carnival. My clown name is Carnival but, my real name is Arthur,” he stammered. You raised a brow at him. He seemed really uncomfortable.

“It’s nice to meet you,” you said hesitantly, then realized you should make an effort to be more friendly. Both of your hands finally departed and you dropped yours to your side. He was only making eye contact with you for quick moments before looking away, and you were taken aback by how brightly his green eyes gleamed even behind all of the makeup.

“I didn’t know clowns had ‘clown names,’” you said lightheartedly. Before Arthur felt pressured to rebuttal, you turned around to the children to announce that he was going to start his act and asked that they be on their best behavior.

You took this opportunity to sit off to the side of the room to answer texts and emails. You caught bits and parts of his act, but you were mostly immersed in your work, until suddenly you felt all eyes on you. 

You peered upwards through your lashes, cautiously. Carnival - Arthur - stood in front of you, legs spread apart in a theatrical stance. One hand was balled up into a fist and rested on his hip while the other hand held out a black wand in your direction. Now, you were forced to participate.

You huffed and grabbed the wand and it immediately melted into a flaccid state. A few of the kids snickered as Arthur grabbed the wand back from you, and it returned back to its stiff form. You shook your head as he tapped the wand onto his knee with a curious look on his face. The children watched intently for which trick he was going to pull next.

He twirled the wand around back into your direction as colorful fake flowers burst from the tip. A few of the kids, especially a few of the girls, gasped in amazement. You tried to hide the flush on your face and failed by smiling. You accepted the wand.

“Thank you so much, Mr. Carnival!” you enthused as you made a show of pretending to sniff the fake flowers. He beamed at you before turning around to move on to the next part of his act. You put your phone back into your purse. Work could wait.

After Arthur was finished with his act, he walked around the room to talk to the kids, introducing himself and taking pictures. The children seemed so happy and they really enjoyed watching him. Having entertainers and visitors come by for events took the kid’s minds off of whatever awful circumstances that they were having to face while in the hospital. It warmed your heart.

He made his way to you and you held out the wand to him, flowers still fluttering out the end. He waved his hand laughed lightly, “oh no no… you keep them.”

He looked down at his ridiculously large shoes. 

“Are you sure?” you asked. He still wasn't looking at you.

He nodded.

“Well, thank you very much,” you made it a point to fake-sniff them again and he smiled.

“Listen,” you said lowly. “Thank you for coming out today. I was expecting two of you but, you did a really great job. The kids seemed to have liked it a lot and I know it means the world to them.”

You offered a soft smile and he nodded again. He looked tired and the white of his makeup began to crack and settle within the crevices of his face. “Of course.”

Now he was quiet again, which was hilarious considering he made a show in front of everyone by giving you flowers. 

“Oh!” you quickly fumbled with the buckle of your purse and pulled out a business card. For some reason, you felt compelled to give this guy your information. Even though he was awkward as hell, he seemed sweet and harmless, which was hard to find in this city.

“I know your boss already has my info but, here you go… just in case,” you handed it to him and Arthur took it slowly, still refusing to look up and meet your eyes.

You smiled, “If you ever need anything, give me a call. I coordinate stuff at the other hospitals too, so maybe we can work together again.”

To this, he finally looked up at you. He started to say, “thank you,” just as the small blonde girl came running your way again, shouting your name.

She stopped at you feet - fine, wispy hairs still whirling around her. “I have a question,” she half-whispered.

You looked back up at Arthur only to find the fact that he had been staring at you still. 

“Okay…” you half-whispered back & crouched down to her level. You think she thought that Arthur couldn't hear her at the volume that she was using.

“Are you a princess?”

You huffed and shook your head. You didn't know what you were expecting this small angel to say to you, but that wasn’t it.

“Oh, please-“ you started to say, half-laughing until Arthur interjected.

“Yes,” he said, simply and softly.

The little girl looked up at him and so did you. He was still looking at you. He looked so exhausted, yet his green eyes still sparkled. When your eyes met, he looked down once again.

“I think she is.”

The little girl giggled and ran away with her hands cupping her blushing face and you felt like doing the same. What was up with this guy? You could barely tell what he looked like under his costume and all of the makeup, but you weren’t sure if he was your type. He was so bashful, yet bold when it came to complimenting you. 

You stood back up, knees cracking. You really needed to stop wearing heels to work. You tilted your head at Arthur as one side of your mouth turned upwards into a bemused half-smile. He still wasn’t looking at you.

He stood there in awkward silence as you pulled out your phone to check the time. 3:30pm. It wasn't too late and you were planning on going home to enjoy the fact that work ended early for you today, but…

“A-are you doing anything after this? Like… would you like to grab a coffee or… something?”

You nearly jumped at the sound of his voice. The brief silence had been deafening since the children had left the room. You peered upwards with your phone still in your hand and frozen in place in slight shock. At first, you thought that the proposition had come out of your mouth, but it came out of his. It’s as if he had read your mind. And, given the fact that he had mostly been extremely shy, you never thought he was going to ask that - especially since the two of you were just barely meeting. 

“Um… sure. I actually was just thinking of getting coffee,” you said. Arthur’s green eyes sparkled at you, half-happy and half-surprised that you had obliged. He straightened up with eagerness.

“Okay! I just have to… go home first,” he said with a slight sadness returning behind his eyes. You furrowed your brows into a soft laugh at his vagueness.

He stammered an explanation, even though it was none of your business, “I… have to check on my mom. And… I should probably change clothes.”

To this, you let out an actual laugh. He almost looked surprised that you found that funny. It also took you a second to realize that this guy lived with his mom. Maybe there was a reason why, but it looked like Arthur could be older than you. So if there wasn’t an explanation why, then this should be interesting. Though, he had been really polite and endearing and… awkwardly charming.

You tucked a piece of hair behind your ear and looked back at him. He was watching your hand as it moved. He suddenly went from not being able to look in your direction, to not being able to stop staring at you

“I kind of figured that, Arthur,” you said, putting slight emphasis on his name. “I wasn’t expecting a coffee date in full clown attire.”

His face fell slightly and you decided to change the subject. You cleared your throat, “Let’s meet at Ferrara, if that’s okay? Is that too far for you?”

He nodded. Little did you know that he would have to go uptown to go home, then come all the way back downtown to meet up with you. And, little did you know, that he didn’t care.

The awkward silence was back. You decided to up your enthusiasm in an effort to make him feel more comfortable. “Great! I’ll meet you there then.”

He didn’t respond, though he didn’t need to. You turned to walk away, pulling your phone out of your bag once again, mentally crossing your fingers that you would have some service on the train to answer more work emails. Many work related things were on your mind, but it didn’t distract you enough from the feeling of Arthur’s eyes searing into your back as you turned out of the doorway.


	2. Ironic Neighbors

Upon entering Ferrara, your stomach started to growl. Dessert was definitely on your mind, and this was exactly the place to be for that. And as hungry as you were, you waited for Arthur to arrive before you ordered anything out of courtesy.

The bakery downtown was one of your all time favorites. The sliding doors glided open and a rush of warm, welcoming air whisked your hair around. The place was bustling with post-work shift patrons sitting at many of the tables, with some guests waiting in line eagerly for a quick to-go order out of the glistening glass cases. The atmosphere smelled of rich pastries and coffee creamer.

You always adored the aesthetics of the place - gold accent railing along the stairs and older wooden tables with red and white marble flooring. Decadent cakes and cookies lined the left side of the bakery, gleaming in the display lights above. A deep crimson carpet led you towards the back where you picked a table to rest your tired feet.

Oddly enough, you were somewhat nervous. You had just agreed to basically go on a date with basically… a stranger. And the best part was that you didn’t even know what he really looked like. Agreeing to something like this was completely out of your typically deliberate character however, things have been pretty boring lately - what was the harm in going on a blind date with a polite stranger?

At this realization, you found yourself trying to busy your mind with wondering what Arthur really looked like. A sudden mild panic hit you - what if he was attractive? Dating wasn’t something that you were interested in at the moment, especially since you were about to move and work was far too busy to leave you with any free time. You simply couldn’t devote anything to another person right now.

You took a moment to remind yourself that you were thinking too far ahead. There was no need for pressure. This was supposed to be breezy.

You pulled at the sleeves of you sweater with sweaty palms. Your stomach growled again just as a man cautiously approached your table.

Arthur appeared petite without his costume, with a slender build. He wore slacks with brown dress shoes and a rust colored, collared shirt with a mustard colored hoodie. His hair laid in loose, chocolatey waves around his face and brought out the colors of his eyes. He was adorable.

And just like that, you were fucked.

“Hey!” you greeted him. “That was fast!”

You turned in your chair to face him. He let out a exasperated huff as he sat in the seat opposite of you. “I tried to be…”

“No worries.” You tried to sound nonchalant while you addressed the elephant in the room. Your face became warmer.

“You look so different out of costume!” you stated awkwardly as Arthur peered up at you through his lashes. 

“I mean… like… good. You look… great!” You wanted to smack yourself on the forehead. Get it together.

To this, Arthur let out a loud, “HA!” before clasping a hand over his mouth. His brows furrowed as he struggled. He started to laugh more, placing another hand on his stomach.

“Glad you thought that was so funny,” you deadpanned as he waved a hand around.

“No… I’m… I’m sorry. It’s… I have… a condition.”

He leaned to one side in his chair, still muffling some remaining chuckles, so that he could fish something out of his pocket. He sorted through a few cards and crumpled up receipts until he found a white, glossy card. He peeled it from another card that was stuck to it and handed it to you.

His laminated card had been stuck to your business card that you gave him. You realized that he had taken the card with him, even in his new change of clothes.

You were hoping that you were wearing enough make up and blush to conceal the actual blush on your face and took the card. It stated that his condition cause uncontrollable laughter. You smiled in an attempt to be reassuring but when you looked up, Arthur was looking down at the sleeves of his hoodie, anxiously pulling at them - just as you had been doing a few moments ago.

He looked so upset, it broke your heart. You handed the card back to him. “I see. Well, I don’t mind it.”

Arthur glance back up at you and hesitantly accepted his card back.

“I’m sorry, it’s embarrassing-“ he started to explain himself, though he didn’t need to.

“No it’s not! And don’t be sorry - be hungry,” you attempted to joke with him and offered a warm smile. This seemed to help him relax a little. “Let’s order.”

You raised from your chair first as Arthur followed you to the line along the glass displays. Your mouth practically watered and you eyes immediately laid on a slice of layer chocolate cake.

“Listen,” you said, playfully bumping your elbow to his, “if I order that, then you have to share it with me.”

He nodded with a smile. You ordered first and added a hot latte and decided to pay for yourself. You guys had known each other for less than 24 hours and having him pay for you made you uncomfortable. Besides, paying for yourself eased the pressure and made the situation seem more informal. It wasn't so much pressure on Arthur as it was for you.

Arthur ordered a black coffee - simple, you thought, and classically on brand - before the two of you returned back to your table. Luckily, through the bustle of the busying cafe, no one had taken your seats.

You both started asking each other simple small talk questions as you guys slowly picked at the chocolate cake - where are you from, favorite movies, do you like your job. Arthur then asked you where you lived - which wasn't an unusual question to ask a fellow Gotham resident, considering how large, yet small, the city could be.

“I actually live around here but oddly enough, I’m moving tomorrow… Uptown.” You said, taking another bite of the cake. It was as good as it looked.

“Uptown? Really? That’s where I live.” Both of his hands gripped his coffee as he stared down into it, ochre colors swirling in the cup.

“No way,” you said, raising you brows and placing your fork down. You plucked the napkin from your lap and daintily dabbed around your mouth and lipstick. “Where?”

You took a sip of your latte, sweet warmth filling your whole body as Arthur hesitated.

“I live off of Anderson.”

You couldn’t believe what he just said. “What?! That’s where I’m moving!.. In that one, taller complex?”

Arthur glanced up at you and nodded, his eyes searching yours. Was that… panic?

“I literally move tomorrow,” you laughed. “How ironic. I guess we’ll be seeing each other more then.”

“What floor?” he said flatly.

“6.”

His lips parted in slight shock. You tilted your head at him.

“No…” your face stretched into a huge smile in playful disbelief. You were having too much fun with this - the universe had its ways. Arthur nodded again, still in just as much shock as you were. What were the odds…

This kind, new, and adorable stranger just became you next door neighbor. Might as well be sleeping together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and the plot thickens...


	3. Take Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> things are starting to get interesting and you learn more about the reader :-) it's a sloooowww burn, guys.

You stumbled through the doorway and set a large box down on the floor, dust fluttering up into the light leaking through the window. You stood back up, wiping the back of your hand across the sweat on your forehead and took a deep breath. Your new apartment would need some serious cleaning once you were fully moved in.

Moving. What a bitch. However, you were thankful that work was gracious enough to give you two days off to get settled. And thankfully, the weather was decent which made the feat a little easier.

The two, burly men that you hired to help you move stomped into your unit to set more boxes down. One of them - slightly taller than the other - wiped some dust from his hands onto his overalls.

You crossed the room to the kitchen where your purse sat on the counter and grabbed some cash from your wallet. You thanked them and gave the men their money before following them out the door to peer into the hallway. Arthur offered to help you today, but you insisted that it wasn’t necessary since you already put a deposit down for the movers.

You tried to keep yourself from constantly looking into the hallway, but you couldn’t help it. And you found it hard to admit to yourself that you hadn’t stopped thinking about Arthur - his laugh, his hair, the way he politely offered to walk you home after your time at the bakery the day before. You felt juvenile all over again - like a lovesick teenager.

The oddest part is that he didn’t seem like the type of guy that would make you feel this way or give you those cringe-y butterflies. But maybe that was it - he was just the opposite of the kinds of guys that you inevitably ended up with. He wasn’t suave or arrogant and he didn’t know what to say half of the time that you were with him - let alone make eye contact with you - but you liked it. He was humble and accepting and still charming.

You closed the door and pulled the lock shut with a click before turning to slump down onto your couch. It was your favorite piece of furniture - yellow, puffy velvet with a vintage flare - that had been through almost every move in your adult life. You wanted nothing but to sit there forever, but you had too much to do.

At this point, the sun was starting to set. You started to wonder why Arthur hadn’t come by yet, at least to say hi. You shook the thought out of your head - it was time to stop thinking so much about him. “_24 hours_,” you said to yourself, “_you’ve only known him for 24 hours_.”

Readjusting the messy bun that lay onto of your head, you picked up your phone. Unpacking could wait - now it was time for Chinese take out. You google-searched Chinese delivery near you before drawing yourself a bath, thanking yourself for cleaning the bathroom earlier while you had the energy.

As you waited for your food to deliver, you split open the packing tape on one of the boxes and fished out a loofa, towel, body wash, razor, and a lavender scented candle. A bath was exactly what you needed and you hoped it would ease your aching body.

You went to the kitchen to fetch a lighter for the candle when an unusual thought occurred to you. You rummaged around in the same junk drawer that your lighter was in (it was already beginning to fill with junk even though you barely had unpacked) and found a small white carton - an emergency pack of cigarettes.

You stripped your old clothes away and dipped your feet into the water, steam rising up around your legs. You slowly dipped the rest of your body down into the bath with an exhale. You plucked a crisp cigarette from the bent white box and brought it to your lips to light it. You weren’t a regular smoker - just when you were out socializing, drinking, or stressed. Or, when you had too much on your mind - which was your current circumstance.

After taking the first puff, you lit your candle, setting it down beside the tub on the bathroom floor. There wasn’t a shower curtain yet, or rugs, or even a hand towel. It was just you, alone with your thoughts, the tip of your cigarette sizzling as your arm draped lazily off the side of the tub and the lavender aroma filling the room.

The catalyst for your move was an inevitable pay cut. Though you weren’t the only one effected by this, it was still hard for you to admit. And, though you still had your fancy, velvet couch, you could no longer afford your swanky downtown apartment. Your career had its perks - the fact that you even enjoyed it was more than most people could say about their jobs - but, it had its cons. Gotham was slowly, but surely, crumbling under its corrupt and greedy government. The rich were getting richer, and the poor were getting poorer. And here you were, kind of in the middle.

Working overtime didn’t help either. It not only left you underpaid during many weeks, but it also left you without a social life. You barely saw your friends, let alone dated anyone. You were usually so busy that you didn’t give people the time of day and, quite frankly, no one had even remotely peaked your interest until you met Arthur yesterday.

You shook the thought out of your head. The uncanny coincidence of you guys living on the same floor made you shudder. It was like some kind of sick joke that fate was playing on you.

The water started to get cold, almost as if it was tired of your overthinking. Your food should be here soon anyways. You lifted yourself out of the tub, water dripping from the back of your hair and tips of your bun. You put your cigarette out on the bathroom counter and grabbed your towel to dry off.

You walked into the living room, towel wrapped around you, into the sea of cardboard boxes to look for a set of pj’s when someone knocked on your door.

_Probably the food - thank god_, you thought. You grabbed some cash from your purse on the counter, with some extra for the tip. You peered through the peephole but, someone had painted over it and blocked your view. You sighed in annoyance. Maybe it was for privacy, or the previous tenants were paranoid… or maybe you’d rather not know why.

You slid the door chain free and unlocked the bolt, swinging the door open.

Arthur stood with his hands in his pockets. At first he was turned away from you, facing the hallway, as if he was searching for the nearest exit the run to if he changed his mind. And you were still in your towel.

Thank god you hadn't taken your makeup off yet, because that would’ve been _too_ personal.

Arthur turned and both of you stared at each other with wide eyes and awkwardly greeted each other by name in unison.

He stood wearily, wearing a similar outfit from yesterday except he had on a knitted button down vest.

“Sorry it’s late,” he said timidly. “I… didn’t want be rude and not say hi. But, I got out of work late and I… feel like I’m interrupting you.”

Your jaw dropped slightly. His politeness was unearthly. You could tell that he was trying really hard to keep his eyes on your face and not drop them any lower.

“Umm,” you stammered. He hadn’t interrupted anything but you were certainly caught off guard. “You’re… not. I was just-“

Someone down the hallway called your name and the two of you turned. _There_ was your delivery.

You laughed mildly at the size of the bag and dryly said, “thank you…” as you handed the cash to the delivery guy. His lips pressed together and nodded, turning toward the elevator.

You rolled your eyes at Arthur. “Obviously, you’re interrupting my _very_ eventful evening,” you said sarcastically as you held the bag up and waved it between the two of you.

“I honestly ordered more than enough to share..? If you give me like, 10 minutes to get dressed, you’re more than welcome to come over… if you want.”

Arthur blinked at you, lips parted.

“I mean!” you said quickly. “You don’t have to! I just… I don’t know if you drink but, I have wine!”

He didn’t seem into it at first, but his awkward demeanor made it hard for you to be able to tell what was on his mind half of the time.

“I would… love to,” he uttered. “I was actually going to offer to help you unpack.”

He was going to help you… unpack?

A literal angel.

You were so fucked.

“Okay, well.. I’ll see you in 10, then,” you said.

“Okay,” he beamed back at you before the door shut.

You placed the bag on the counter and returned to your boxes. You managed to find some black leggings and a black off-the-shoulder sweater. You readjusted your hair bun again, attempting to make it look more kept. You already unpacked silverware earlier in the day, knowing that you would be needing them later.

At this point, Arthur had returned back to your door, knocking on it gently.

You swung it open. ‘Welcome to the _château,_” you announced with a theatrical spread of your arms. Arthur laughed and stepped inside, a flush across his face.

“Alright, so…” you skipped over to the kitchen. “What are we eating?”

You began to list off the many items that you ordered as Arthur waved a hand around.

“Oh, I’m not hungry.”

You raised a brow. “What? You have to be! Here-“

Arthur gave a polite smile. “Really… I’m fine. I can start unpacking while you eat.”

You blushed immensely. Seriously?

"Well, at least have a glass of wine with me."

It almost looked like he might say no when you said, "Please?"

"Okay," he said reluctantly.

You grabbed a carton of lo mein, two wine glasses, and a half opened bottle of red wine and sat on the couch, drawing your knees inward. Arthur sat on the floor with a pair of scissors and started opening one of the boxes. You poured each of you a small glass, twisting the bottle at the end of each pour.

“I like your couch,” he said under his breath, facing away from you.

You laughed, to which he turned his head to face you. You were looking down into the carton, spinning the noodles around your fork. “Thanks.”

He smirked at you. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing,” you shrugged. “It’s just a ridiculous couch. I love it - don’t get me wrong. But, I paid too much for it. And it’s a ridiculous color. Didn’t expect you to like it.”

He shook his head, grinning towards the box that he returned his attention to. You guys begin your small talk again, just as the two of you had the day before in the cafe. It’s as if the conversation had literally been bookmarked and picked up right where it was left off.

“So, you live with your mom?”

“Yeah…” Judging by the tone in his voice, it didn’t seem like they got along. Arthur picked up some books in the box and set them on the floor beside him. “She’s… sick. She doesn’t work. So, I take care of her.”

You chewed your dinner slowly as you absorbed his answer. “Well, that’s very noble of you. It must be hard sometimes… being the only person bringing in the income.”

He paused and inhaled slowly through his nose. “Sometimes,” he said, tilting his head and exhaling. He still had his back to you, but there was a hint of sadness in his voice. “I’m used to it though.”

You decided not to say anything in fear that you would be pressing too much.

“So…” You could tell that he was trying to keep the conversation going. “What made you move here?”

You were reluctant to tell him why, but you did. You felt oddly comfortable telling personal matters to someone you barely knew. Arthur made it feel… easy.

He shook his head at your answer, moving to open another box. “Gotham doesn’t give a fuck about anything that has to do with medical needs,” he said bitterly. “I feel you.”

“How so?”

He hesitated for a moment - a moment almost too long that you thought he was just going to ghost your question.

“I mean, they’re cutting mental health related funding…” he trailed off after that. You assumed he wasn't sure if he should say more. He turned to grab his wine glass and took a sip.

“Wow,” you mused, raising your brows. “Guess it’s good that I stopped going to therapy, huh?”

Arthur twisted his body to towards you, surprise brushed across his face. “You were in therapy?”

“Well, yeah,” you retorted, “for a few reasons.”

You set your take-out carton on the floor and followed Arthur's lead by grabbing your own wine glass. “I think everyone should try it, even if they don't ‘have a reason.’ That’s really fucked up though, I’m sorry.”_ Sip_

He nodded and returned to his tasks. You moved to the floor to sit beside him and he looked up. A light, pleasant scent whisked towards you. Cologne. It was woody with a hint of lingering cigarette smoke. It was intoxicating.

And like the blabbering, no-filter idiot that you were, you said, “you smell good.”

Arthur grinned shyly at the floor. “Thank you…”

You started organizing what he was removing from the boxes in an effort to create an assembly line. For some time, you guys worked in comfortable silence. The small talk started again here and there but, you were careful to not be overbearing. However, the more you learned about him, the more you wanted to know.

After a couple of hours, it was starting to get late. Arthur reluctantly rose from his spot on the floor. “I should get going.”

You stood to join him. “Yeah, of course, I understand.”

The two of you started towards the door. Now, here was the_ uncomfortable_ silence.

“I really appreciated your help today,” you started. “You didn’t have to but, it was really nice.”

“Of course,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. You decided to be bold.

“I enjoyed your company.”

His lips pressed into a fine line of a smile as he looked at the floor. He was in the hallway, just outside of your door at this point, when he asked, “what are you doing tomorrow?”

You rolled your eyes with an exasperated sigh. “I’ll be here… unpacking. They gave me two days off, thankfully. So, I’ll probably-“

“Would you have dinner with me?”

You blinked at him, surprised at his interruption. His eyes searched yours and his body was tense, as if he could bolt back to his apartment at any second.

You decided to mess with him. You put a dramatic look of surprise on your face and a hand on your hip. “_Arthur! _You want to hang out with me for the third day in a row when we _barely _know each other?”

His face fell and he quickly backpedaled. “I… no… I mean… we…”

You burst out into floating, flirtatious laughter. “Of course I will.” Why wouldn't you?

Arthur exhaled the breath that he had been holding and rolled his eyes, laughing.

“Wanna aim for 6pm?”

“Sure,” you playfully smirked at him. He started to turn away from you to head down the hall, back to his apartment.

“_Arthur_,” you called after him in a half-whisper as to not disturb your neighbors. He turned back around eagerly, his brown wavy hair flipping about.

_“You’re going to have to get used to me messing with you.”_

He smiled back at you, the brightest you’ve seen. Sunshine personified.

You waited until he reached his door before you retreated back into your apartment. You made a mental note of which apartment was his.


	4. LBD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank u thank u thank u for the kudos and the comments! they've seriously made my life... thank u. also, it took me forever to write this chapter and im still not *absolutely* satisfied with it, but it's as good as it will get so.... enjoy lol

The first thing that you unpacked on your second day of moving was your coffee maker because today, you were definitely going to need it.

You were able to sleep in a little, but the sunlight coming in through your new bedroom windows was harsh without having curtains up yet. You got up and put on some comfy work out clothes, hoping that maybe you would be motivated enough to go for a run later on.

Most of your day was spent slowly sipping your coffee and unpacking your things. Taking your fancy clothes out of the boxes and organizing them into your new, smaller closet really put things into perspective.

You had a large wooden bookshelf in the middle of the living room - large enough to divide the room in two, creating an almost dining area where you put your table. You put all of your vinyl records on the bookshelf, along with your many books, a few pair of high heels to balance everything out, and a fake succulent.

Some time had passed since you decided to dip into your Chinese take out leftovers for lunch - and you felt you had digested enough to go for a short run.

To be honest, you mostly walked. With work being so overwhelming, you had lost your consistency with running and were a bit out of shape. Walking was fine, though. It gave you the opportunity to look around at the neighborhood.

Luckily, it wasn’t too cold today - cool enough for a light jacket and your breath just barely shown in the air. The new neighborhood was gritty - pawn shops, a record store, a few deli’s, a convenience store, and a gentleman’s club lined the main street. Many people were out smoking on the sidewalk and playing music from small speakers. Everything looked dated - the buildings donned worn concrete and neon signs dotted the skyline.

You circled around back to the apartment building with your keys jangling in your hand. Might as well check the mail.

You entered the building and turned towards the mail room, pushing open the creaky door with frosted glass. You looked up from your keys to see that there was someone in the mailroom with their back to you. Familiar brown curls and a mustard colored jacket.

Arthur spun around to face you, since the old door didn’t adhere to making a quiet entrance. Butterflies immediately formed in your stomach.

“Hey!” you beamed. “Good thing I ran into you, I actually had a question.”

“Hey there,” he said. You were pleased to see that his face lit up just as much as yours. “What’s up?”

“Uh… What the hell am I supposed to wear tonight?” you laughed. It was a somewhat superficial question, but you were already stressing about it. Plus, it wasn’t the typical situation where you could literally ask your date what the dress code was… because you didn’t typically share a mail room with them.

To this, Arthur laughed. Despite only knowing you for a short amount of time, he probably already picked up on the fact that you were something of a diva.

“Whatever you want,” he shrugged as a blush washed across his face. “You always look nice.”

Quiet laughter escaped you. “Why, thank you…”

“I have to get going to work,” he said, though his body language told you that he would’ve stayed with you in the somewhat grimy mailroom for as long as you wanted.

“Okay,” you said. Day three of knowing this guy and you decided to give up trying to hide your bashfulness in front of him. “I’ll see you tonight then.”

He smiled shyly at the floor, glancing at you as he brushed passed to walk out the door.

You checked the mail and headed upstairs via elevator. In your apartment, you almost made your way to the bathroom to grab a shower, but paused.

It had been too long since your last “date” and you needed some inspiration, so you walked over to your vinyl record collection. Golden afternoon light was seeping through the window, highlighting the dust particles that floated up into the air from tapping your nails along the record sleeves. Your hand floated above one, contemplating, then pulled it out - Jimi Hendrix’s Blues album.

You pulled the record from its sleeve and placed it on the record player, dropping the needle slightly inward so that the second song would play. Guitar riffs and bass filled the living room as you turned the volume up slightly.

In the shower, the hot water calmed your aching muscles and washed away the sweat collected from your run. You let the water wash down your body as you listened to the music and took a moment to yourself before the night began. So much had changed for you recently, it made your head spin. You breathed in the steam creeping upwards in the shower and decided that you weren’t going to think of any of the other bullshit tonight.

You moved to the closet, dancing about the apartment as the record moved to it’s sixth track, a more uptempo beat. You decided on something safe, yet sexy - a midi, form-fitting black dress with ruching, a straight neckline, and paper thin spaghetti straps. It fit your body like a glove and, most importantly, was comfortable. You set aside a pair of black scrappy heels to put on last.

It was just a couple minutes shy of 6pm when you finished your hair and makeup. Your loose waves moved around you shoulders as you bent down to fasten the delicate buckles on your heels. You clicked to the kitchen to grab your bag and suede jacket when you heard a quick knocking at your door. You paused and looked over your shoulder at the clock above the counter - it was exactly 6pm.

You smiled at the thought of Arthur waiting outside of your door, checking his watch and waiting for the approximate minute. You slid the door chain free and swung it open. He was standing in the hallway, facing away from you, just as he had the night before.

Arthur spun to face you and his face fell. His eyes traveled up and down your body, taking all of you in when he swallowed. His eyes traveled up to meet yours.

“Hi,” you whispered. He paused for a second before whispering, “hi,” back to you.

“Is this too dressy?” you asked, though he was just as dressy in a cream colored button down with a matching maroon vest and slacks.

He shook his head. It was as if his voice had left him.

“You look really nice,” you said to him as you stepped into the hallway and turned to lock your door.

You started walking down the hallway, assuming that Arthur was following you, until you realized that he wasn’t. You turned around to find him in exactly the same spot, frozen in place and staring at you.

“What’s wrong?” you asked.

“N-nothing,” he stammered. “It’s just… you… look perfect.”

Perfect? This caught you off guard as you cocked your head at him.

“Thank you…” you said slowly. “So do you.”

You turned to start walking again, towards the elevator when you heard Arthur’s quickening steps behind you.

He took you to a restaurant down the street - a small, intimate place with a golden, dark ambiance. It was casual enough to not be overwhelming, but certainly nice enough for a date. You both sat down and you slid your jacket off.

He did not take his eyes off of you. His jade colored irises sparkled in the light of the candle between you two.

Every time you were with Arthur, the more and more surprised you became with how easily it was to talk to him and be in his presence. You were the cynical introvert of your friend group - mostly spending time alone when not drowning in emails. You usually didn’t like spending time with other people, but you loved spending time with him - listening to his jokes and his nervous laughter.

You guys had both finished your food and were polishing off a bottle of red wine when you decided to mess with him. He was so shy and reserved sometimes that you had no idea what was going on in his head.

“So,” you started. “Why did you ask me out to dinner, hmm?” you hummed. “Do you like me or somethin’?”

A smile danced on your lips as you took a sip from your wine glass. Arthur stared down as his hands in his lap, his expression falling and becoming more serious.

“How could I not?” he said quietly and flatly. “I didn’t know girls like you… existed.”

You sat frozen, waiting for him to continue. Your fingers daintily gripped the stem of your glass.

He shook his head, “I thought girls like you only existed in magazines… or movies. Sometimes… I don’t even think you’re real - like, maybe I’ve made you up in my head and really, I’m sitting here by myself - _talking_ to myself.”

He paused, contemplating for a moment. You were paralyzed in place by his words - this is the most you heard him talk in the past 72 hours and it was about _you_.

Arthur continued, his voice was a shaky whisper, “when I’m with you… nothing else matters. All the other bullshit doesn’t matter.”

He dipped his head down further, as if to hide it, and shook it again, “and… you’re so, so, _so_ beautiful. I don’t know why you give me the time of day.”

He finally raised his head to look at it and drew in a shaky breath through his nose. You stared back at him, lips parted and eyes wide, anticipating his next words when the waitress reappeared.

“How are we doing over here?” she looked back and forth between the two of you, but you were both still looking at each other.

“Fine,” you both said in unison, though your voice was barely an audible croak. She nodded once, obviously feeling awkward and that she interrupted something, and walked away slowly with the hands clasped behind her back.

You couldn’t find any kind of proper response that would measure up, so you said, “you wanna get out of here?”

Arthur nodded and motioned to the waitress that we were ready to pay the bill. You guys stood to leave as Arthur offered to put your jacket on for you. A true gentleman.

The two of you walked slowly down the sidewalk, your heels clicking beneath you. Clouds of steam rose up from the heat of the street into the cool night.

“Do you mind if I smoke?” Arthur asked as he reached a hand into his pocket.

You smiled at him, “no, not at all.”

He plucked a crisp cigarette from the carton and placed it between his lips. “What?” he asked with an eyebrow raised.

You could’ve told him that you were one of those superficial fools that thought some people looked attractive when they smoked and that it was somewhat of a turn on, but you digressed.

“Nothing - it’s just that no one even asks anymore,” you stated, tilting your head. You decided to go against your better judgement, “it’s also kinda hot.”

His whole face turned a fraction of red as he lifted a lighter to the tip and used his other hand to create a barrier against the breeze.

Eventually - after Arthur had about three cigarettes and the both of you engaged in more endless small talk - you reached the apartment building and rode the creaking elevator upwards together.

Arthur, being the consistent gentleman that he was, walked you to your door. You hated this part of a first date - the awkward ending. Or, was it the first date..? Or technically the second? Slight panic struck you - would he try to kiss you?

You both paused outside of your door and you turned to face him, sucking in a breath, “thank you for tonight. It was much needed and I really enjoyed it.”

“Me too… thank you,” he said softly. You couldn’t find a proper way to articulate anything worth saying in that moment, especially since your head was still swimming from what he said at the restaurant.

It was when you turned to insert your key into the lock that he gently swept his fingers along your ear, pushing a piece of your hair back. You rotated around slightly to look at him over your shoulder. His breath was unsteady and the silence in the hallway was deafening. He slowly leaned down and softly pressed his lips to yours in a way that you’ve never experienced before. No one had touched you so gently.

Arthur pulled away slightly to look into your eyes, your noses brushing together. He smelled like wine and tobacco and fading cologne. You were enraptured by his scent, his delicate touch, and - admittedly - a bit tipsy from the wine. You dropped your keys onto the wood flooring and needily ran your hands up the back of his neck to intertwine your fingers in his hair, pulling him back to you. You both simultaneously deepened your kisses, your lips slow-dancing together. It was as if all fucks were thrown out of the window and neither of you could take it anymore.

Arthur cautiously and slowly spun you around so that your back was pressed up against the trim of the door frame. He treated you as if you were made of glass - so careful and almost afraid to touch you too much. He was practically panting at this point, trying to steady his breath in between kisses, but his nervousness was turning you on. It was driving you insane.

You parted your lips more to sweep your tongue along his and he hummed softly. Warmth pooled up in your chest and traveled down between your thighs, just as he pulled away from you. He looked into your eyes with such intensity that it worried you.

His lips were pink from the friction and his breath was shallow, quick, and jittery. A deep pink flush adorned your cheeks and your whole body felt hot. You tried to recall a time where kissing left you so flustered - hell, you tried to recall a time when some kissed you _like that_.

Arthur’s face was still close to yours, his eyes scanning yours for approval. Where did he learn how to kiss like that? How many relationships has he been in? The questions started reeling.

If things kept going at the same rate that they were, they wouldn’t stop. You drew your bottom lip in playfully between your teeth and your eyes darted to his lips and back up.

“Goodnight,” you purred as you put your hands on his chest and playfully pushed Arthur away from you.

A barely audible, “okay,” was all he could muster in response, a wide grin stretching across his face. A peachy, translucent spot of your lipstick dotted the corner of his smile.

You were about to close the door when he whispered your name and you reopened it.

He stammered, his face still rosy with embarrassment and arousal.

‘W-would it be too much to ask… to see you again… tomorrow?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's getting hawt.


	5. Party Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, thank you for all of the comments and kudos, they seriously mean the world to me since i'm just doing this for fun! Also, sorry it took me so long to update - i've had a lot going on. 
> 
> However, I'm happy to say that I've made a tumblr! www.harmonioussolve.tumblr.com   
Come say hi to me and send me asks on there :-)
> 
> I should also mention that this chapter mentions mild violence, blood. If any of that makes you uncomfortable, then read cautiously!
> 
> xx

You stood just inside your apartment with your right hand gripping the edge of the door and your ankles were crossed. You stammered, heat still flashed over your whole body as Arthur peered timidly at you from beneath his lashes.

“Actually,” you started, “I’m busy tomorrow.”

Arthur’s shoulders dropped in disappointment as he looked away from you.

“T-that’s okay, I underst-“

“-but I'm having some friends over,” you interrupted quietly. “You should come.”

Arthur stopped in his tracks and his eyes widened.

“Just a couple of my close friends… nothing crazy. They just wanna see the new place.”

He hesitated for a minute before saying, “s-sure, of course…”

“Okay,” you said, tilting your head at the slight uncertainty in his tone. “Are you sure? I mean, if it’s something your not into… I don’t wanna force you into hanging out with me or my friends-“

“I would do anything to spend time with you,” Arthur said matter-of-factly.

A nervous laugh escaped your lips like a whisper, “okay, well… come over around 8?”

“Yes ma’am,” he said as he shyly beamed at you and turned to walk towards his apartment.

You closed your unit door slowly with a gradual click, then slid the door chain in securely. You took your bottom lip in between your teeth and blushed to yourself silently as you turned to press your back against the door. You exhaled, slowly sliding your body down the door until your butt hit the floor with a gentle thump and unfolded your legs from beneath you like a fawn.

It had been three days and one (or technically two..?) dates and you were smitten.

No - you were fucked.

The next morning, you decided to go for another run. Part of you was proud of yourself for this, but the other part of you knew why you had this sudden motivation. You weren’t going on this run because you had the energy or inspiration to get fit again - you had to blow off steam.

Last nights tiny make out session with Arthur in the hallway had left your mind reeling. He was so shy - so reserved and polite - but somehow he left you breathless. It replayed in your mind over and over again as you got ready for bed the night before, allowing your fingers to delicately creep down your body before falling into one of the best nights of sleep that you’ve had in a while.

So today, you ran a little further than usual. Further than you would deem, “adding a little more distance to increase your stamina.” No… you just needed to _run_.

Back at your apartment, you made a snack and prepared for a shower. You had to go to a couple of hospitals today for quick visits to finalize some things before you could truly enjoy your weekend when you heard a knock at the door - light but rapid.

Your brows furrowed as you weren’t expecting any visitors and gradually opened the door. It creaked slowly, just as confused as you were as to who the hell was visiting you.

Arthur stood before you, gulping for air as he hung his head. He was dressed in costume, decorated with colors and patterns. One of his arms crossed his body to embrace the side of his torso. His dark brown curls were especially curly today, probably in part due to the humidity, and your heart skipped a beat in adoration.

He lifted his face somewhat, gingerly peering up at you through his clown makeup to reveal that his nose dripped of blood.

“Oh, my god,” you gasped, bringing a delicate hand to your mouth. “Arthur…”

You stepped forward to put your hands on either of his shoulders.

“What happened? Are you okay?”

He shook his head dolefully and sniffled.

“Come on,” you said, as you gently grabbed one of his forearms to lead him into your apartment. You guided him to the couch and you both sat down.

“What happened?” you pressed again. His shoulders were slouched, downcast. You pressed your lips into a fine line and looked down to his hands. They were folded in his lap - one was clutching a small, broken piece of plywood that had specks of yellow paint on it.

Arthur couldn’t find the words. He simply sat there, forlorn and refusing to meet your gaze.

You rose from your spot on the couch, walking with purpose towards the bathroom. You kneeled down to open the cupboard beneath the sink, grabbing a small, plastic box. A First Aid kit.

You returned to your seat on the couch, opening the box as it stubbornly released its lid. You grabbed some blue latex gloves and put them on, wriggling your fingers as the material squeaked.

“This might sting. I’m sorry,” you stated apologetically as you looked up at Arthur and found that he had already been looking at you, but there was something in his eyes. Maybe it was… gratitude? Mixed with… bewilderment?

You paused, a wet towelette dangling from your fingers. “What?”

Arthur shook his head vehemently. He then turned his head to cough into his shoulder opposite of you. He faced you once again, swallowing. “What are you doing?”

His voice came out croaky and tired sounding, but there was a hint of irritation behind it.

You were taken aback by this. “I’m taking care of you,” you stated blatantly.

With an inhale, Arthur’s lips parted in minor shock. You didn’t wait for him to rebuttal before you started to wipe around his upper lip and nose, erasing the blood along with some of his makeup. He winced at the stinging sensation as his eyes closed. You gently blotted the area dry with a clean towelette and balled them up to place them on the coffee table.

“Now,” you said as you removed the gloves, the material snapping as you pulled, “what’s wrong with your side?”

“W-what?”

“Your side.” you deadpanned. “You’re holding onto it.”

“I-“

“Take your clothes off.” The words left your mouth before you realized how they sounded. Your face heated as Arthur looked up at you, wide-eyed.

“I mean,” you said, “your vest and your shirt… so I can take a look.”

Arthur blinked at you and sat up a little straighter. “I… I’m fine. I don’t think that’s necessary.”

You sighed, growing frustrated at his odd behavior. “Please?”

“No,” he said quietly. For his subdued demeanor, you were surprised at how firm and stubborn that he was being.

You raised your eyebrows at him. “Why not?” you asked, your voice rising an octave.

Arthur stared at you for another beat, his eyes watering. He was challenging you, gently so, but you were challenging him back.

“Seriously?” you said. “Do you not want me to help you? What’s your problem? At least tell me what happened!”

“I got jumped!” he said, speaking with you louder this time. His voice was still hoarse. “Okay? It’s fucking embarrassing! These kids… they-“

You were startled as he started to laugh - quietly as first - then it’s volume began to build.

“They… jumped me. They took… my sign and… ran and then…” he choked out between laughing fits. He held up his hand that grasped the piece of plywood, “they beat me… with the sign and…”

His laugh was loud now and hard for him to speak through, “…I’m going to get fired.”

“No, no, no, no,” you cooed as you bent your head down to see his face and gently tilted his chin upwards. “You’re not going to get fired.”

He nodded, laughing loudly and viciously. He tried to place his face in the crook of his elbow to muffle the sounds, but it wasn’t working. You hadn’t seen him have this bad of an outburst yet, but you knew exactly what to do.

You slid closer to him on the couch, wrapping your arms around him with urgency. Arthur squirmed slightly in protest as you quietly shushed him. You reached around to benevolently place your hand on the back of his head, intertwining his curls in your fingers. You held his head to your shoulder as he nuzzled into the crook of your neck.

The laughing slowly, but surely, became more manageable. Then after a few minutes, it stopped. You continued to brush the back of his head with your palm and rub his back tenderly. His violent shuddering had turned into reticent sniffling.

You both refused to move, still embracing one another. Your chin rested on Arthur’s shoulder as you inhaled, smelling the endearing scent of tobacco and his faded cologne. At last, the two of you parted marginally, just enough to where you could look into each others eyes. You lightly brushed you nose against his affectionately, but with a hint of flirtation.

Arthur blinked at you as he tilted his chin upwards to nuzzle you in return.

“I’m sorry,” you whispered simply, not wanting to make a fuss out of the situation.

“I’m sorry, too,” he breathed.

You leaned back to get a better look at him as your brows furrowed, “Sorry for what?”

Arthur dotingly took one of your hands, barely holding it. You were surprised at the act of confidence and his hands were ice cold.

“…no one has ever taken care of me before,” he stated charily. “I didn’t know how to react. And for my laughing, of course.”

“You never have to apologize for that.” you said firmly. “And I want to take care of you.”

Arthur peered up at you.

“… if that’s okay?” you hesitated. His eyes darted back and forth between yours, taking a moment to regard you closely. There was a hint of something behind his green eyes - just a dash of intensity. But… what was it?

He spoke quietly, just above a whisper to make sure you were the only one that heard, “I would love that.”

_Love_.

But… it can’t be…

You leaned forward and placed a slow, chaste kiss on his forehead, brushing a brown tendril out of his face. His eyes followed you intently with every move that you made, sparkling immensely.

“I have to get going to work soon,” you said regretfully. You looked down at your hands as you each daintily intertwined your fingers together.

“… You have to work today?” he said. His voice was so gentle that it made you melt into a mixture of heartache and yearning.

“Just for a bit… I have to finalize a couple of things…” you trailed off, realizing that he may not exactly be in the partying mood for tonight.

And, just as if he could read your mind, Arthur asked, “What am I supposed to wear tonight?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hehe


	6. Notebook Pt. 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a-ha - surprise! I'm v proud of myself for such a quick update. not gonna lie... i rewrote this chapter several times and almost grouped it with the last chapter, but wasn't completely satisfied with it so, i broke it into two.
> 
> (mentions of alcohol use)
> 
> enjoy! :-)
> 
> xx

You swiped your liquid lipstick across your lips and pressed them together, spreading the product around. You breathed deeply, staring at your reflection in the mirror. You were worried about Arthur after you sent him back to his apartment earlier when you had to leave for work. How could someone just… do that to a stranger?

Sure, the crime rate in Gotham was at an all time high but, where was the compassion? Or, better yet, why couldn’t people mind their business?

You shook your head, telling yourself that right now was not the time to be in deep thought about the world’s problems. But, you couldn’t help yourself - you had been in a privileged bubble for so long that you had forgotten just how _cruel_ society could be.

You adjusted the straps on your dress as they started to slip off of your shoulders. Tonight, you unsurprisingly wore another black dress - this one was mini, with thin straps that tied up at the shoulders. It was form-fitting and flattering, and had a small slit up one of your thighs. You slipped on a pair of trendy, leopard print peep toe kitten heels before walking out into the kitchen.

A few of your friends had trickled in, along with their significant others. Some were kind enough to bring 6 packs of beer. Some of them were even visiting the city for the weekend, and though you were happy that they arrived, you couldn’t help but be disappointed every time you opened the door and Arthur wasn’t there.

_Maybe he decided to not come_, you thought to yourself. _Understandable_.

Just like clockwork, Arthur knocked on your door. He looked precious in dark slacks, a light colored button down, and rust colored cardigan sweater. At this point, you already had about 2 beers in you and were a tad tipsy.

You can’t remember the last time that you were so happy to see someone.

“_Arthur_!” you exclaimed as you wrapped your arms around his neck, standing on your tippy toes. You breathed in deep to take in his signature scent that left you feeling even more intoxicated than you already were. This time, there were new notes of aftershave, and _god_, you loved it.

Arthur laughed and winced slightly at your rough greeting and you immediately retreated.

“I’m sorry! I almost forgot,” you said quietly as he rubbed his side.

“It’s okay,” he said as he smiled up at you.

“Well… come on in!”

You linked arms with Arthur, making him blush and giggle lightly at your forwardness. You pranced him around the room, bouncing from person to person and introducing him to everyone excitedly.

Arthur leaned towards you at some point, whispering in your ear, “I like your dress.”

You flushed immensely - partly because of the alcohol, mostly because of his compliment and his breath tickling your ear. You turned your head to face him and your noses brushed together. “Thank you,” you breathed.

One of your friends called your name from inside your bedroom. “I’ll be right back,” you said and winked over your shoulder at Arthur as he grinned widely at you.

Some of the guys of the party made small talk with Arthur in the kitchen and offered him a beer. He accepted it hesitantly, since he didn’t drink often. But, what he found more odd is that they were actually _nice_ to him. You lingered in your doorway and eavesdropped a little, a smile forming on your face.

“You’re a party clown? That’s so cool. I’ve never met an actual party clown before.”

“Yeah… I enjoy it. My favorite is when I get to go to the children’s hospital and make the kids smile.”

“That’s great of you, man. That must be so rewarding. Very noble of you.”

Satisfied with what you gathered from their conversation and the thought of Arthur being comfortable, you turned to go inside of your room and closed the door. The girls were already rummaging through your closet.

“Okay… when did you get _these_?” Sabrina, your closest friend, asked you as she plucked one nude, red bottomed pump from your closet and dangled it between her index finger and thumb. She sat on the floor with her legs folded beneath her.

You laughed, “A while ago, maybe last year. I don’t remember.” You crossed your arms and waited, knowing that the shoes weren't the real reason why she called you in there.

“Girls,“ she said, battering her eyelashes. “May we have the room, please?”

To be frank, Sabrina was your only actual friend at the party, the _girls_ were _her_ friends. And though you guys were in your early 20’s at this point, she still treated the world like one drawn out episode of Gossip Girl.

You pouted jokingly as you waited patiently for them to leave.

“So, what’s the deal?” she deadpanned as she rose from her spot on the floor, wiping some dust from the front of her dress.

“With..?”

“Arthur.”

You blinked back at her, playing stupid. “I still don’t follow-“

“Are you guys dating? How did you meet? What’s his last name?”

“Sabs-“

“Have you guys fucked yet?”

“SABS!”

She threw her head back and let out a breathy, devilish laugh. You weren’t offended - you knew how she was.

You rolled your eyes, “No… well yes. I don’t know. Sort of… we went on _a_ date. Well, technically two.”

Sabrina mirrored you, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow curiously.

“We met at the hospital-“

“While he was… a clown?”

“_Yes_,” you hissed, noting her condescending tone.

“Anyways,” you exhaled and continued. “Fleck. Fleck is his last name.”

Sabrina tilted her head at you in disdain as she waited for you to answer the one question she really cared about.

You rolled your eyes again, “no, we have not fucked.”

“Why not?” she retorted quickly and shrugged. “He’s cute.”

“I know,” you said, raising your eyebrows.

A smile crept upon the corners of her lips. “I haven’t seen you this smitten with someone before,” she teased.

There was a pause as you looked down at your kitten heels, a flush washing your cheeks.

“How long have you guys known each other?” Your eyes shot up at Sabrina and they became wide.

“Umm… like, four days?”

Sabrina’s jaw dropped. “_Four_ days?!”

You nodded. “Damn, girl,” she said, shaking her head and releasing a breathy laugh. “You got it bad.”

The two of you left the room, laughing at each other and returned to the common areas. Everyone was gathered around the kitchen, talking about going to a bar. Arthur leaned against the counter, holding a nearly empty glass bottle of beer and was looking down at his feet while everyone talked amongst themselves.

“You coming?” Sabrina asked as she slipped her coat on.

You eyed Arthur out of the corner of your eyes. He was still looking down, but Sabrina caught your gaze, peering at you deviously.

“Honestly, I’m really tired, guys,” you said, your voice hoarse. “I think we’ll hang out here.”

Arthur looked up at you and lifted his eyebrows at the term, “we’ll.”

“Okay well, have fun,” Sabrina purred as she followed the rest of the crew out the door and shut it.

“We will!” you called out after her.

_We._

After everyone had left, you turned to face Arthur. He stood up straighter, giving you his full attention and appearing tense. You raised your arms above your head and intertwined your fingers, stretching your body dramatically and let out a sigh. You let your arms drop to your sides, your hands coming down with a _clap_ against your thighs and you grabbed your coat off of the hook near your door.

“Let’s wait a couple of minutes,” you said, looping your arms through your sleeves as you turned around. You lifted your arms to scoop your long hair out from beneath the back of your coat.

“F-for…what?” he asked.

“For them to disappear,” you said mischievously.

“… and then what?”

You tilted your head at him, crossing your arms. You looked past Arthur at the clock on the wall in then kitchen. 1AM. “Wanna go to a diner?”

To this, he nodded - a hint of confusion across his brows. Nonetheless, he set his empty beer bottle down on the counter and wiped the excess condensation off on his slacks.

* * *

It was chilly at this point of the night. You could see your breath forming puffs of white clouds in the air and you shoved your hands deep into your coat pockets, forming fists. Thankfully, you decided to be practical and wore sheer pantyhose for added warmth.

Arthur pulled out a pack of cigarettes and plucked one from the carton, placing it between his lips. He pulled out his lighter, and just as he was about to strike it, you said, “do you mind if I bum one?”

He hesitated, with his thumb still resting on top of the lighter and peered at you. “You smoke?” he mumbled as his cigarette bobbed along with his words.

You shrugged, “Only occasionally.”

The two of you stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and turned to face each other as Arthur fumbled back into his pocket for the carton once again. He handed you a crisp cigarette and you took it delicately between your index and middle finger, placing it between your lips. Your lipstick created a tackiness that stuck to the filter and you leaned forward slightly, motioning for Arthur to light it for you. He sparked the lighter with a deft flick of his thumb and it hissed as he held it to the tip. He lifted his chin, staring down at your lips as you inhaled gently. You looked up at him through your lashes as you removed the cigarette from your mouth and exhaled through your nose, warming your body from inside, out.

“Thank you,” you purred.

He nodded in awe and you both continued your way towards the diner.

It was classic diner, with dim lighting and metallic, puffy booth seats. The food here was decent and cheap, and they were open 24 hours a day. There were a handful of people present, mostly at the bar drinking coffee and humming small talk amongst each other. A few of the men were burly and dressed in dirty clothes - probably construction workers.

You both slid into on of the booths, sitting opposite of each other as a waitress in a neat, white outfit and matching stiff hat approached the table. “Coffee?” she asked.

“Yes, please,” you both said in unison, glancing at each other and giggling a little. She smiled and went to fetch two white mugs and poured black coffee into each of them. Steam rolled off of the top as you dumped a few sugar cubes and some creamer into yours, sweetening it and turning it from ochre to a soft beige color.

You decided to order plain waffles with syrup and butter - something light just to help absorb the alcohol. Arthur copied you, ordering the same and it made you grin.

After the food had arrived, you were both still sitting in silence, listening to the murmurs of the other patrons. You slowly picked at your food - the sugary syrup made you wince at first, but the fluffy warmth of the waffles was comforting.

You swirled your spoon into you coffee mixture as you noticed Arthur nervously pulling at his sweater sleeves. He looked like he had something to say.

“Why didn’t you hang out with them instead?” he asked hoarsely.

“Because I wanted to spend time with _you_ instead.”

He brows furrowed, “but… you said that you were tired..?”

“I’m not,” you stated impassively as you lifted your spoon from your coffee and tapped it on the edge of the cup before placing it on the tiny plate next to it.

“… then why did you-“

“I lied.” Your tone was imperturbable.

“Oh…” Arthur considered your answer before bringing his coffee to his lips and took a small sip. “But, why?”

You laughed playfully. “ ‘_But why_’ are you so nosey?”

He shook his head apologetically. “I-I’m sorry I… didn’t mean to-“

“Arthur…” you said as you sat back in your booth. You drew in a deep breath and your eyes fluttered shut. You were not one to express your feelings blatantly. It made you feel vulnerable, but you continued.

You looked down at your coffee as your fingers delicately toyed with your spoon. “I like you,” you said reticently. You raised your eyebrows at what you were about to say. “… A lot.”

You peered up at Arthur. He was staring at you like a deer in headlights and slight panic struck you deep in your core. _Keep going._

“I’m sorry,” you said as a breathy laugh escaped you and you shook your head. “I know it sounds crazy… it’s only been a couple of days but… I like you a lot, Arthur. And, I’m sorry to be straight forward with you but… I’m wildly attracted to you - to everything about you.”

You bit your bottom lip anxiously as you waited or his rebuttal. You knew that he liked you too, but he couldn’t possibly like you _as much_ as you did.

He swallowed hard and his voice was shaky. “Me too.”

You lightened the mood by tapping your foot against his under the table and tisked. “Yeah, but you don’t like me as much as I like _you!_”

He didn’t break at you trying to joke with him - his expression was still serious, deep in thought, as if he was carefully thinking about the words that he would choose when he did decide to speak.

“For my whole life, I didn’t know if I even really existed,” he muttered. “…until you came along.”

The smile from your face fell and your lips parted, listening intently.

“I meant what I said last night… at dinner.” He raised his eyebrows and caressed his coffee mug with his thumb.

Your voice was barely above a whisper, “I know.”

Arthur beamed at you, his eyes shined like stars and you could swear that you saw heart shapes form within his irises. He brought a hand up to his chest, rubbing back and forth. He then brought it across to grab at his shoulder.

“You okay?” you asked sweetly, assuming that he must still be sore from the unfortunate beating that he received earlier.

“Yeah,” he whispered. “I’m making sure I’m not imaging this.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> crying.


	7. Notebook Pt. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's been so long, guys! I'm the worst. Life has been crazy because of the holiday. I hope this makes up for it ;)
> 
> Again, please come say hi to me on tumblr! http://harmonioussolve.tumblr.com
> 
> Again, thanks for the comments & the kudos!

You looked out the window to your right. The street was nearly empty due to the late hour. The neon signs of the local businesses shined down onto the glossy streets, creating rainbows in the pavement. Your eyes started to water and it stung, but you blinked it away. _He really doesn’t think that I’m real. He has to check to make sure he’s not hallucinating._

“Let’s get out of here,” you said, still looking out the window. You could see Arthur nod in your peripherals as you turned to grab some cash out of your small crossbody bag. You both threw some money on the table and put your coats on.

The both of you walked out of the door and it began to rain. You shook your head as the timing of it was almost too coincidental - just like everything else that had happened to you in the past few days. You both lifted your jackets to shield yourselves from the waterfall and walked down the sidewalk.

The diner wasn’t far from the building however, the closer you got, the more the rain began to pick up. Your kitten heels and short dress would not have been your outfit of choice had you known that the weather was going to be such an inconvenience. Soon, the water droplets became too much for your jackets to hold and they became useless and soaked.

A few steps away from the front door, you lowered your jacket - figuring that it was pointless anyways - and entered the building. Water dripped from your hair and you shook your feet to get some of the moisture off of your legs. Arthur, too, was soaked from head to toe. His hair had begun to curl up into shiny, wet waves. He pinched the front of his shirt and fanned it in an effort to shake some of the water out.

You looked at him and laughed. “Perfect timing, huh?”

“Yeah… right.”

You both entered the elevator and Arthur leaned up against the back of it and grabbed his jacket by the shoulders, holding it out in front of him and shaking it some more.

You pulled some of your hair out to one side, leaned over and twisted it to wring it out.

“I probably look like a drowned rat,” you huffed as you straightened back up, shaking your hair loose. When you didn’t hear Arthur answer you, you looked over at him. He was staring at you, seriously, through drenched tendrils.

Your smile fell and your breath caught in your throat. “What?” you whispered.

He didn’t make a sound as he shook his head. There was a beat - a silence so deafening that you no longer heard the creaking and groaning of the old elevator. Arthur’s eyes dropped down to your legs, unashamed, and back up to your arms. Instinctively, you looked down too, wondering what he was looking at. The rain had made your skin shiny and your dress clung to your body even more than it did before, like a second skin. Your eyes met again and Arthur cleared his throat as a rosy hue dusted his face and he quickly looked away. Was he just cold? Or was he embarrassed that you had caught him in a lusty haze, _oglin_g at you?

You couldn’t stand it anymore. You took a step forward and placed your hands on the back of his neck, tangling your fingers within his dripping curls and pressed your lips to his. It was passionate and desperate as you pushed your hips to his and inhaled. Arthur let out a surprised hum as he relaxed into the kiss. The heady fragrance of cigarettes, cologne, coffee, and fresh rain was making your head spin longingly and you grabbed both of his hands to place them on your ass. He rested them there, lightly and not sure what to do, as he parted his lips more and tilted his head. The elevator was painstakingly slow as it gradually _dinged_ upwards to your floor.

Arthur gently turned you around and moved his hands up to rest on your hips so that your ass could rest on the hand rail. You dipped the tip of your tongue into his mouth as your lips slipped against his, slick from the kiss and the rain water. The elevator jolted to a stop and the doors dragged open.

The both of you continued kissing and panting while stumbling through the doors and into the hallway. You walked backwards as he guided you into the direction of your apartment, not taking your hands or lips off of each other. You could tell, even with the temperature rising between you two, that he was so nervous, hesitant. His hands still laid gingerly on your hips and were still as could be. _You_, however, grabbed at his hair, his sweater, his face, _anything_.

“_Arthur_,” you breathed as he batted his eyelashes at you. They were stuck together in wet bundles. “Do you _want_ to touch me?”

“Uh-um…” he stuttered and his eyes scanned your face. “Yes. I just… didn’t want to seem rude.”

“‘Rude?’ I _want_ you to touch me.” You grabbed his wrists and placed his hands on your ass again. “_Please_.”

His breathe staggered as he nodded, and this time, he leaned forward to kiss you, pulling you in to press your body to his. Heat flashed over your from head to toe and settled into your core as you fumbled in your bag for your keys.

You unlocked the door and it creaked open. You dropped your jacket and bag on the floor and dragged Arthur in by grabbing his hand. He laughed shyly as he was lurched forward.

The two of you made your way to the couch and you kicked your heels off as Arthur followed suit, removing his shoes as well. You sat down and crossed your legs seductively, splaying your arms out to rest on the back of the couch. Arthur sat next to you. His hair was half dry by now and more curly than usual - either due to the weather or the heat between you two.

He sat tensely a few inches away from you and you couldn’t help but smile. You leaned over and kissed him chastely on the cheek and he blushed. He turned his face and your noses brushed together.

“I… have to tell you something,” he whispered. There was something about his voice that was so calming - almost angelic. You hummed in response.

“I… Um…”

You leaned back so that you could get a better look at his expression. Arthur looked down at his hands in his lap. You cocked your head to the side in curiosity.

“I’ve… y-you know,” He struggled to get the words out. “… never been with someone… before.”

Your brows furrowed and a smirk played on the corner of your lips as you huffed in response. Arthur’s eyes darted to you in consternation. You shook your head, “I don’t believe you.”

“W-what? Why?” he asked.

You pulled at the hem of your dress and pushed a wet tendril out of your face. “Because you’re hot.”

To this, he laughed. A cute, nervous, genuine laugh - like you had caught him completely off guard. “No… I’m not.”

“Are you kidding me?” you said, playfully pushing his shoulder. “You’re fucking gorgeous. I can’t keep my hands off of you.”

“Me either…” he muttered under his breath, still looking down at his hands. His face was a whole shade darker of red and you beamed at his bashfulness. You bit your bottom lip, trying not to pounce on him or chase him away with your forwardness. If only he knew what he did to you.

You delicately dragged your fingers along the top of his thigh, starting at his knee. He looked up at you through his lashes and you did the same.

“May I kiss you again?” he asked. You could feel your whole face light up as you leaned towards him to press your lips to his. The rhythm picked up quickly as you both moved against each other with urgency. You lifted yourself off of the couch to straddle him and he leaned back, blinking up at you, wide-eyed. _Had no one ever sat in his lap like this before?_

You placed your hands on either side of his head, gripping the back of the couch and arched your back. “Is this okay?” you purred.

“_Mm-hmm…_” Arthur hummed as he put his hands on your ass. _There we go_.

You spoke with him in between kisses, “Well… how far have you gone with a woman then?”

Arthur paused as you kissed along his jawline. “Um… this..? I guess?”

You leaned back again to look at him. “Really?”

“Yes… really.”

You ran your index finger along your bottom lip, pondering while simultaneously realizing how swollen it had become.

“How many girlfriends have you had? Or flings?… Whatever.”

Arthur ran a hand through his chocolatey hair and inhaled. “None, really,” he answered quietly.

“Why?” you deadpanned as you relaxed onto his lap.

He shook his head. “I don’t know… Some people have told me I’m… weird. Or… maybe it had to do with my condition or something. I just always thought I wasn’t attractive enough, or funny enough.” He crossed his arms in front of him and in between you guys.

“Well, I think that you’re _hilarious_,” you said as you tenderly tucked a piece of his hair behind his ear. “And you’re not weird. You’re sweet and kind and _polite. _And more attractive than you think.”

Arthur tsked at this. “Yeah, now I _know_ for a fact that you’re not real.”

“Yes, I am.”

“No, you’re not,” he laughed halfheartedly and his jaw clenched.

“Why can’t you believe that I like you?”

He glared at you, his eyes glassy. “Because… you’re perfect. I told you.”

You grabbed Arthur face and frantically kissed him. He slowly uncrossed his arms and wrapped them around you waist, your back arched into his touch.

“So are you,” you whispered before kissing him again.

He grabbed your thighs and turned to lay you down on the couch. Arthur climbed on top of you and you wrapped your legs around him, causing his breathe to hitch. You rolled your tongue along his lips and he let out a hesitant moan. Your hands traveled downward to his hips, pulling them towards you. He pressed them into you, conservatively, and you arched your back - tilting your head and parting your lips with a sigh as he kissed along your jawline and down your neck. You could _feel_ how turn on he was as he applied more pressure. You had been _dying_ to have him on top of you and he didn’t even know it.

Arthur broke the kiss to lean upwards and look down at you. He was panting still and you eyed him adoringly, exhaling in bliss.

His voice was raspy and quiet. “Does everyone fall in love with you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> smut is coming smut is coming smut is coming  
sorry for the blue balls heh


	8. Mimosa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! here's a quick update. Arthur isn't in this chapter a lot, but I'm still happy with how it turned out.
> 
> for those of you that liked Sabrina, she's back.
> 
> love y'all.
> 
> xx

“Shit,” you muttered as you peered over Arthur’s shoulder. “It’s 4AM.”

“Really?” Arthur said while running his fingers through his hair. He lifted himself off of you to sit on the couch. You sat up as well, watching him as he put his shoes back on.

“I’m sorry,” he said without looking at you. “I should go. I have to go to work in a couple of hours. Plus, if I’m not back by the time my mom wakes up, she’ll be worried.”

You nodded and smoothed your hair down. Arthur stood and grabbed his jacket, looping it around his arm. You stood, too, running your hands down the back of your dress and pulling at the hemline. You followed him to your door, unlocked it, and reluctantly opened it.

You felt as though you were in a daze - like something had switched within you. Maybe it was what Arthur had said, “_Does everyone fall in love with you?_”

And the answer was no, not everyone. In fact, many people fell _out _of love with you, left you, or found something better. Maybe it was because you were a workaholic and neglected your partners sometimes. Maybe you were too emotionally distant.

You couldn’t think about it too much - about the fact that you knew Arthur was too good for you - too pure, too kind, too precious. There was no way that you could ever allow yourself to accept that kind of adoration from someone like him. He deserved better.

Apparently, you had been standing in silence for too long. “What’s wrong?” Arthur asked.

You jolted and looked up at him with wide eyes. “Nothing.”

He pressed his lips into a fine line as if he knew better.

“Okay…” he paused. You could tell that he was deciding whether to press further or not. He decided not to. “Th-thank you… for tonight.”

“Yeah, of course,” you said, looking down at your feet. Now you were the shy one. “Are you going to ask me out for like, the fifth day in a row?” you laughed halfheartedly.

Arthur huffed and looked down the hallway. “N-no, actually. I’m working pretty late.”

You lifted your chin in response. You couldn’t help the fact that you felt a little disappointed. You had to admit, the past 4 days had been some of the best that you’ve had in forever - and with someone you barely knew.

“Okay, well… call me?” you whispered and bumped your foot playfully to his shin.

Arthur grinned at the floor. “Of course.”

There was a pause before Arthur took a large step towards you, placing one hand on your side and pressed a subdued kiss on your lips. Your eyes fluttered shut, and Arthur pulled away all too soon.

“Get some rest, darling.”

* * *

“Babe.”

“Yes,” you said as you answered the phone with a foggy mind. Sabrina.

“Were you sleeping? Jesus. Get _up_. I thought you ditched us to ‘_get some rest_’ last night. I didn’t believe you then and I sure as fuck don’t believe you now.”

You rubbed some sleep away from your eyes. Had you fallen asleep with your makeup on? “Is this an emergency? Do you need something?”

“Yes, I do, for your information,” she said cheekily.

You rolled your eyes. “I’m listening.”

“Brunch. I need brunch.”

You let out an exasperated sigh, but Sabrina interrupted. “Meet me in midtown in an hour. Can you manage that?”

“Yes ma’am.” you retorted sarcastically. Sabrina was one of the few people that could convince you to get out of bed when you really didn’t want to.

You did what you could with your appearance, not really giving two shits what you looked like on a Sunday morning. No one in Gotham did, which made you feel better. _Everyone_ was hung over.

Your hair was in a undone, high bun, and you wore an oversized crewneck with leather leggings and combat booties. Comfortability was all that you cared about. And mimosas.

Sabrina suggested a charming restaurant with lots of greenery hanging from the exposed ceiling beams and homey outdoor seating. The insides and outsides of the building were exposed brick with a bustling sidewalk.

When you approached the restaurant, you had already spotted Sabrina. She chose a seat by a window and still had her sunglasses on - classic, large black frames that donned crisscrossed golden C’s on either side. She was dressed to kill in an all black ensemble - black thigh high boots with leather leggings and a black oversized turtle neck.

She must have heard you coming, because she turned her head and expressed a close-mouthed smile at you. She lifted her glasses off of her face to rest on top of her head like a headband, pushing her blonde hair back. “You look comfy.”

Anyone else would’ve been offended by her seemingly snide remark, but you knew her all too well. You huffed in her direction, not paying any mind to her playful comment and took a seat. She had already ordered a pitcher of mimosa to split between the two of you.

You grabbed the empty champagne flute in front of you and tipped the pitcher to fill it just below the brim.

“Did you get some rest last night?” Sabrina inquired with raised eyebrows. It was a rhetorical question.

You lifted the flute to your lips and took a sip, the champagne bubbles and acidity from the orange juice burned your throat slightly. You winced a little. “Sort of.”

“Or, did you guys finally fuck?”

You let out a breathy laugh. She was relentless.

You felt your face heat up. “No,_ Sabrina_. We did not.”

She crossed her arms in front of her. “Then… what the fuck were you guys doing?”

You took another sip of your drink while eyeing her with lifted brows, humorously.

Sabrina gasped. “_Ohmygod… spill._”

“We just made out a little! Relax,” you rolled your eyes.

“What?… That’s it?”

“_Yes_. I didn’t want things to go too far.”

“‘Go too far?’” she repeated. “Why?”

You shrugged and looked down at the menu, not reading it.

“Not sure.”

“Babe,” she said lowly. “Don’t do this.”

You inhaled deeply and exhaled. “Do what, exactly?”

“Push him away.”

You peered up at her through your lashes.

“I’m serious. I saw how you looked at him… and how he looked at you! And, he’s really nice! He doesn’t seem like a dick, like everyone else that you’ve dated - no offense.”

“None taken.”

“Good,” she said, pinching the stem of her glass to lift it to her lips. “You need to get back out there eventually. And I saw the way you looked at him last night -“

“Please -“

“No,” Sabrina interjected. “I’m serious! He’s crazy about you. He’s probably already in love with you,” she chuckled. Her glass had been suspended in the air, ghosting her lips as she spoke. She finally took a sip.

Your server approached the table. She was adorably petite, covered in tattoos with a long, low, raven ponytail and winged eyeliner. “Are you ladies ready to order?

Sabrina sat up straighter. “Yeah, we are but, I need you to do me a favor first.”

You glared at her out of the corner of your eye. The waitress’s jaw slapped shut.

“I need you to tell my friend here, that she needs to fuck the guy she’s been seeing and get it over with?”

“_Sabrina_ -“

Your server shrugged and looked compassionately at you. “What she said.”

The three of you shared a laugh and ordered your meals. The cute waitress jotted them down and left the table with a smirk to put the ordered in.

“You’ve always been so _good_ at embarrassing me. I’m surprised you haven’t found a way to make a living out of it.”

Sabrina hummed in amusement. “I do make a living out of it - I just enjoy it so much that I do it for _free_.”

You tsked at her.

She continued, “Really, though…” She leaned forward in her chair and rested her elbows on the table, tipping her chin towards you and lowering her voice. “Just go for it, please? He’s super sweet and cute. Just… think of a grand gesture - a way to show him that the feelings are reciprocated.”

Of the infinite amount of times that you’ve rolled your eyes this morning, _this_ was when you rolled them the hardest. If you spent too much time with Sabs, they might roll right out of their sockets.

“Oh, stop,” she rebuked. “I know it’s out of your comfort zone and that it might be _cheesy_ to you, but trust me.”

She leaned back to relax into the wooden chair. “And, it doesn’t have to be a _romantic_ grand gesture, per se…”

You crossed your arms and scolded at her, since you knew what she was going to say.

“It could be a… _sexual _grand gesture. Just to get the point across… ya know?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what will reader do... hmm...


	9. Intermission

Hey everyone!

It's me, ya girl. Just wanted to stop in and apologize for the delay on an update. My job is especially demanding during the holiday season and I haven't gotten as much writing done as I've wanted to. (I haven't even been reading other people's updates) I promise I am still working on the story! I won't give up on it and I'm so happy that you guys are enjoying it so far. After today, I have nearly a week off so, I'm determined to get a lot of writing done and have some stuff backlogged.

I hope everyone's doing okay. How are y'all? Lemme know :-)

Also, I have an idea of then next few chapters and where I want the story to go. Like I've said before, I'm just going along as I write. Is there anything that you guys want to see? Lemme know in the comments or let me know on tumblr.

My tumblr is harmonioussolve.tumblr.com come say hi! Leave me a nice anon or shoot me a message. I love hearing from you guys.

Also, sorry if you all thought this was an actual update :-) I promise I will get y'all FED soon!

With love,

Me


	10. Hoyt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you guys for your patience :-)

After brunch, you trudged back to your apartment. You thanked yourself for the fact that you chose the lazy route this morning and wore comfortable clothes. You indulged with Sabrina, maybe a little _too_ much, and had no other plans for the rest of the day except to sleep off the champagne.

You decided to take the stairs once you reached your apartment building. Maybe taking them would help burn off some of the heavy comfort food that you inhaled just a few hours ago. You slowly took each step one at a time. When you reached the top of the steps at your floor, your phone rang.

You dug your phone out of your handbag and immediately rolled your eyes while you tapped the answer button. You let out a sigh before holding the phone to your ear.

“Hi, mom,” you breathed. You were nonchalant, as if you talked to her daily. But, that wasn't the case. You and your mom had a complicate relationship. It wasn’t estranged by any means, but you didn’t go out of your way to call her or see her. The two of you were very different. She embraced the posh lifestyle that your father helped create for the two of you. You, on the other hand, would rather… _not_.

“Hi, sweetie, how are you? What are you doing?”

You could tell that she was trying hard to seem genuinely interested in small talk, but you could hear the hint of urgency behind her words. She never called you unless she needed something - especially on a Sunday.

You lazily walked down the hallway in the direction of your unit. “I just got done having brunch with Sabrina… What’s up?” You pressed to find out the real reason why she reached out to you.

“Oh, that’s wonderful,” she smiled into the phone. “And well, I wanted to remind you that Christmas is coming…”

“Yeah, I know. It does every year,” you stated shortly. Your mom sighed into the phone and continued.

You couldn’t help but subconsciously walk even slower as you passed Arthur’s door - even if you knew he probably wasn’t there. You walked so slowly, in fact, you almost came to a complete stop. And was that… laughter?

“… just please don’t forget that it is black tie,” your mother stated as you realized you hadn't heard a word of what she said.

You took a hesitant step towards the door and listened closer. You didn’t want to eavesdrop but, you couldn’t help it.

It, without a doubt, was Arthur’s laugh - but not his genuine laugh. It was one of his laugh attacks. But, what was he doing home? He had told you that he couldn't see you today since he would be working. Why did he lie to you?

“Honey?” your mother asked. “Are you still there?”

“Yes,” you said quietly as you took a step back from Arthur’s door. “I’m sorry, what were you saying?”

“Our winter gala, honey. It’s in two weeks. _Please_ bring a date.”

“A _date_?” you retorted. 

“Yes - you can’t come alone again this year.”

You huffed into the receiver. If you were her son instead of her daughter, would it matter just as much if you didn’t bring a date again this year?

You tilted your head towards Arthur’s door. His laughter was beginning to die down.

“I might have someone I can bring,” you said lowly.

“Good,” she said as she exhaled. “I don’t care who you bring, just make sure that they are black tie appropriate, _please_.”

“Sure thing,” you patronized. Your mother ended the phone call with a loving click.

You shoved your phone back into your purse as you stared back at Arthur’s door. It was practically silent now, and although you should mind your business in an effort to not seem too clingy, you took a step forward.

You threw all caution to the wind and brought your fist up to the door. You knocked three times, conservatively, and waited.

He swung the door open and looked down at you in surprise, obviously not expecting to see you. You peered up at him through your lashes to see him in full clown costume attire, minus his green wig. His brown curls fell around his face - still adorned in clown makeup.

“Hey,” Arthur said, as he brought a hand up to run through his hair. One of his hands gripped the side of the door while the other hand braced himself by his elbow on the doorframe. He was pinching a cigarette between his index and middle finger. Puffs of smoke floated in the hallway from its tip. When you looked closer at him, you could see faint streaks running down through his makeup from his eyes. Dried tears.

“Hey…” you said quietly. “I’m sorry to bother you but, I was just coming home and I heard…” you made a waving motion with your hand, not knowing what proper words to use. “So… I thought I would make sure that you’re okay.”

Arthur blinked at you and paused for enough seconds to make you think he hadn’t heard you at all. He was baffled.

“Erm…” you stammered. “Anyways, if you need anything, you know where I’m -“

“No,” he interjected and closed his eyes to shake his head, almost as if to shake himself out of his own thoughts. “You’re not bothering me.”

“Oh… okay.”

You shifted on your feet awkwardly. Why was he acting so weird? You had so many questions.

He took a drag from his cigarette.

“I thought you had to work today.” It was a statement and a question in one.

He blew out the smoke from his nose and closed his eyes, which you found oddly sexy.

“I… did.” Arthur looked down sheepishly. “But, I got fired.”

“What?” you said, your voice raising several octaves.

“Yeah…”

“For what?.. What happened?”

“For the… incident that occurred yesterday.”

Your brows furrowed. “Incident? What ‘_incident_?’ You mean… with the kids?”

“Yes.”

“And, what about it?”

He took another drag from his cigarette, shrugging his shoulders.

“The owner of the store called my boss, Hoyt, and said that I had disappeared on the job and ‘stole’ the sign.”

You cocked your head to one side in annoyed bemusement.

“Huh,” you huffed. “Did you try to explain what happened to him? Your boss?”

Another puff. “Of course… he wouldn’t listen.”

Arthur raised his eyebrows and shook his head lightly. “Anyways… I go in tomorrow to get my stuff.”

“What time,” you asked flatly, crossing your arms.

“In the morning, probably around 10am… to get it over with.”

You hummed in response. Arthur took another puff of his cigarette while staring down at the hallway floor. He was solemn - deep in thought. You knew how much he loved his job, and for his boss to take that away from him over such a small incident? Your blood was boiling.

You decided to break the brief silence between the two of you.

“Well, like I said, I’m down the hall if you need me. And… I’m really sorry, Arthur.”

You pressed your lips into a sympathetic smile and he looked up at you. Despite his situation, his green eyes still sparked with brilliance - a tinge of hope.

“Thank you,” he said quietly as you backed away from the door.

You took a few steps down the hall to your unit with your keys jangling in your hand. You didn’t have to be at work tomorrow until around noon.

You knew what you had to do.


	11. Sweetheart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year everyone! How are you spending? I know I said I would backlog stuff but I'm inpatient & i've been writing a lot so, here you go lol. Enjoy!

You stepped off of the subway cart onto the platform. Your heels clicked as you walked with purpose towards the exit. You haven’t lived in Gotham proper for long, so you’ve never used this stop before. You pulled your phone out of your purse to look up the exact location of Ha-Ha’s while you were walking. You didn’t have much time.

It was about 10:30am and the streets of uptown were bustling with late morning commuters. You weaved in and out of the people on the sidewalk as you kept taking quick glances down at your phone to make sure that you were going in the right direction.

You reached a quieter side street when your phone told you to turn. You hesitated, as the alleyway’s quietness seemed suspicious. Your heels clicked more softly and slowly against the pavement as you pulled your black blazer closer across your chest. The air was a bit chilly as the wind whipped passed graffitied walls. Although you opted to wear something a bit more serious to give a boost of confidence, it wasn’t the most practical for the weather.

You approached a small, metal, almost hidden door. The front read, “Ha-Ha’s” in a faded print, confirming that you’ve reached your destination.

You walked up the stairs slowly, as the volume of chatter began to engulf you. You heard the voices of men and no women. Wonderful.

One of them wolf whistled at you as you entered the room. It was dingy and run down - the floor boards and wallpaper were peeling. On one side of the room was a vanity, covered in scattered, open makeup products. The mirror was lined with lights, though a few of them were burnt out. On the other end of the room was a crowded, lopsided table full of men. Most of them were smoking cigarettes and playing poker. Some were just watching. All of them were looking at you.

Your eyes glanced back at the other end of the room. Blue lockers lined one of the walls - like the kind you see in a high school locker room - old and slightly rusted. In the corner, a window was cracked open to let some of the smoke out. _Emergency exit._

A tall man with suspenders and a white tank top stood up from the table. “How can I help you, sweetheart?”

His cigarette bobbed on his lips as he spoke. He removed it from his mouth to tap some of the falling ashes into the ashtray in the middle of the table. The lower half of his body was consumed in baggy, patched up pants and comically oversized dress shoes. He must a clown too.

You lifted your chin. “I’m looking for Hoyt.”

He took another drag of his cigarette before smushing it down into the ashtray. A smirk teased one side of his mouth.

“I can show you to his office.”

You stood there, awkwardly, assuming that he would start walking somewhere and that you would follow. But when neither one of you moved, the tall man motioned with his hand down the hallway. “Ladies first.”

A few of the men from the table chuckled as you swallowed. _Gross_. You obliged.

“Thanks.”

You clicked down the hallway - two of your tiny steps accounted for one of the tall man’s big loping steps.

“Wait,” he said as you were about to pass the correct door. “This is Hoyt.”

He bent one large knuckle and gave three raps on the frosted glass panel of Hoyt’s office door.

“Thank you,” you said curtly.

“No problem, sweetheart,” he said as he winked and left to return to his poker game. You winced.

“Yeah, come in!” Hoyt yelled from inside.

He didn’t look up as you walked in. He was hunched over is desk, frantically scribbling on some papers. The office was messy and dusty. Stacks of files were everywhere and even if Hoyt was decent enough to offer you a seat, there wasn’t one to take.

You cleared your throat.

“Yeah, how can I help ya?” he said flatly. His yankee accent was vicious. You were sure that he wasn’t angry at all, even though he sounded like it.

You stated your name. “I was wondering if you had a second?”

Hoyt was still scribbling about and tossing the papers aside, one after the other. He had yet to look up. You could’ve walked in naked and he wouldn’t have noticed.

“What about?” he said.

“Arthur Fleck.”

“Jesus Christ,” he mumbled. Finally, he looked up. His face softened upon meeting your eyes. He quickly scanned you up and down. _Good day to wear your power suit._ “What did he do now?”

“Pardon?” You tilted your chin. “I’ve never had a problem with Mr. Fleck. I have a problem with _you_.”

Hoyt lifted his eyebrows and sat back in his chair. He shoved his pen behind his ear. You pressed your lips into an unimpressed expression as you took a step forward.

“I caught wind of his termination. I believe it was a huge misjudgment on your part.”

“_Misjudgment_? I can’t help that my employee disappeared on the job! Maybe he should be _better_ at his job to begin with… and - who _are_ you exactly?”

“The event coordinator for the hospitals,” you stated. “We’ve spoken before. I’ve hired many of your guys, _many_ times.”

Hoyt straighten in his office chair. His jaw snapped shut as you took two more steps forward until your thighs were flesh with the front of his desk. “Might I be so bold to say that I keep you in business?”

He swallowed. “You are… _quite_ generous when it comes to hiring my guys, yes.”

“I think so, too.” You leaned towards him slightly. “Arthur is the best entertainer that I’ve worked with. I would hire him again and again without hesitation. The other guys, however…”

You looked over your shoulder at his door, then turned back to look at him again. “I don’t appreciate the cat calling and wolf whistling that they did when I showed up a few minutes ago.”

You took a step back. Hoyt’s eyes were steadily concentrated on yours.

“If you have any sense of how crazy and fucked up this city is getting, then you would understand that the possibility of being jumped in broad daylight is fairly high. And, in an effort to maintain our professional relationship, I think it would be in _both_ of our best interests if Arthur was still here, doing what he does best.” You cocked your head at him condescendingly. “Don’t you think?”

“Absolutely.”

“Great,” you straightened and forced a smile his way. You turned to leave his office, but when you reached for the door knob, you glanced at Hoyt over your shoulder.

“Oh! _Happy holidays_.”

You didn’t wait for him to respond. You left his office and closed his door firmly. You walked back towards the front room where the men were playing poker. Would Arthur find out that you were here? Would he hear about what you said? Would Hoyt tell him?

Maybe he didn’t have to find out. Since you didn’t see him on your way in, you figured you had missed him. But, you were wrong.

When you entered the front room, everyone turned to look at you. The taller man from earlier was standing in the middle of the room, towering over Arthur. When Arthur peered over at you, his brows furrowed.

You exhaled. “You haven’t packed up yet, have you?”

Does this count as a romantic gesture?


	12. Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> thank you guys for still commenting and leaving kudos - it seriously is what gives me the motivated to keep writing the story. thank you thank you :-)

Arthur stared at you, bewildered. Perhaps this was the last place that he thought he would run into you.

“You guys know each other?” asked the tall man.

“Yes, Randall,” Arthur muttered. _Randall._

Randall tsked and placed a firm, large hand on Arthur’s shoulder. “I didn’t know pretty girls like this gave you the time of day, Artie.”

You hummed, amused. You could entertain this.

“I give him _plenty_ of time, actually,” you said as you stepped towards the two men. One of the male strippers at the poker table whistled. Randall released his grip as Arthur turned towards you.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

You ignored his question and flicked your hair over one shoulder. “Are you free tonight? Do you wanna stop by?” You batted your eyelashes at him.

“S-sure. I would love to,” he stammered. His face turned rosy in front of the audience that you two had. In your peripherals, Randall was eyeing the exchange suspiciously.

You leaned forward to gingerly kiss Arthur on the cheek. “I’ll see you around 8pm, then.”

He blinked back at you in response. You turned to face Randall and peered up and down at him. “Nice to meet you.”

You brushed past him to exit down the stairs.

“You too, sweetheart,” he muttered after you.

* * *

After work, your tired feet made an automatically bee line for the fridge. You pulled out a bottle of red and placed it on the counter. You popped the cork and grabbed two wine glasses from the cupboard. Time to celebrate.

Arthur arrived shortly, wearing the outfit that you saw him in earlier that morning. It was a navy blue sweater with a light collared shirt poking out from the top and blue slacks. His style was always so simple and conservative, but you adored it. You found it charming.

“What did you say to Hoyt?” he asked immediately upon your opening the door. He didn’t sound angry - thankfully - just concerned.

You looked away, walking towards the kitchen. “Nothing,” you shrugged.

You went to the counter to pour the wine into the glasses when Arthur was suddenly behind you.

“It wasn’t nothing,” he whispered into your ear. It sent a shiver down your spine as he hesitantly placed his hands on your waist. You turned to face him and gripped the edge of the counter behind you. You looked up at him, wide-eyed at his sudden spark of confidence.

He looked down at you endearingly. “Why would you do that for me?” he said hoarsely.

Your breath caught in your throat. Should you say it? Would it scare him away? Was it too soon? It was insane. Tomorrow will only make it a week that you’ve known him. Stuff like this doesn't happen in real life. This isn’t a _fairytale_.

“It was just… the right thing to do,” you paused, gathering your thoughts. You sighed and your eyes fluttered shut bashfully. “And… I want you to be happy… because I’m falling for you.”

You inhaled, as if to hold your breath. _Fuck._

You’d never heard silence so _loud_.

Arthur’s eyes darted back and forth between yours. His voice was barely above a whisper. “I’ve… already fallen for you.”

He leaned down and pressed his lips to yours as the butterflies awoke in your stomach. You couldn’t recall the last time that you had _butterflies _\- if ever.

The pace started to pick up between you two and you hummed against Arthur’s lips. You gently pressed your hands against his chest to stop the kissing. “Wine? Should we have some wine?” you said quickly.

He had no idea how much you wanted him. You tried to play it cool as much as you could, but each time you touched each other, it became more and more difficult to resist. You knew in your right mind that things should slow down. And if he was as inexperienced as he said he was, then you wanted the moment to be right.

He smiled shyly at you as he nodded in agreement. You poured each of you a glass as you traveled towards the couch and sat together.

“So, funny question…” you started as you took a sip from your glass. You winced at the peppery aftertaste. You were blushing wildly - like never before._ God, this was embarrassing._

“My parents, uh, they live just outside of the city. And they have this… thing. This party… every year. And it’s in two weeks.” You stared down at your glass that rested in your lap. “I was wondering if you would go with me?”

“Me?” Arthur asked. You looked up at him, assuming that he was messing with you, but he was serious.

You giggled. “Yes, _you_.”

“Oh! Um… Of course. I would love that,” Arthur beamed.

“Okay,” you beamed back. “The only thing is that it’s _black tie_,” you said in a mockingly pretentious tone.

“Oh,” Arthur raised his eyebrows.

“Don’t worry,” you said, waving your hand around. “I don’t give a fuck what you wear. I love your style.”

“My ‘_style_?’” he asked. “Really?”

“Yeah,” you smiled. “It’s adorable.”

Arthur huffed with rose tinted cheeks. “Thank you…”

The two of you sat up and talked for a bit, about any and everything under the sun. It never seized to amaze you with how easy it was to talk to Arthur. He never judged you, never made you feel inferior. He simply _listened_. As he was talking, you couldn’t help but wonder if him meeting your parents and seeing where you grew up would fuck everything up.

You came from a very privileged background. You didn’t want Arthur to think differently of you - to think that you were equally as pompous or disingenuous. Would he still feel the same way about you?

And though Arthur had said he had fallen for you, he didn’t explicitly say that he loved you - or even _in love_ with you. It was still hard for you to tell. He couldn’t possibly…

But, for the first time in your life, you knew for a fact that you were in love with someone.

* * *

In your apartment a few days later, you managed to find some time to have the family tailor over. Yes, you read that right - _the family tailor._

Ishtar wasn’t just the family tailor, but a long time family friend. She had even baby sat you a few times when you were younger. She was, by far, one of the nicest people that you have ever met and you considered her like an aunt to you.

She was dressed down in jeans and a lightweight, beige sweater. She was naturally beautiful, as she always has been, with olive skin, contrasting dark hair, and deft hands. There wasn't anything that Ishtar wasn’t capable of doing.

The gown that you chose for the gala was red, flowing satin. It was strapless with a straight neckline and a sweeping, deep slit in one side that flatteringly showed off your legs. Satin fabric bunched up around your hips, accentuating your petite curves.

You stood in the middle of your living room as Ishtar kneeled in front of you, gathering up the hem and sticking it with pins. You brought a delicate hand to your mouth, concealing a laugh. You were careful not to smudge your lipstick.

Ishtar peered up at you with an eyebrow raised and looked at you as if you had lost your mind.

“I’m sorry,” you said shaking your head. “It’s just - I have a date this year.”

Ishtar stood up instantly. “You _what?!_” She said, her rich accent was thick and high pitched as she grabbed you by the shoulders. “_You_ have a _date_?”

Hey eyes were widened in comic disbelief and you laughed harder.

“_Well?!_ Who is he? Or she!” She asked with a hand raised to ensure that she wasn’t here to judge.

“_He_ is Arthur. And he’s also my neighbor so, keep it _down_, will you?” You lowered your voice jokingly.

“Oh, my god,” she said as her dark, wavy ponytail bounced around her shoulders. She looked to her left and right, as if to make sure that no one was around before she spoke. You always loved how lively and animated that she was. She’s never changed.

“You’re _sleeping_ with your neighbor?”

“No!” you exclaimed in a whisper. “Well, not yet.”

The two of you burst out into laughter as Ishtar jumped up and down, shrieking.

“The gala night! You _have_ to on gala night!” she squealed.

You waved your hand around to indicate she lower her voice. You leaned toward her, deviously.

“Don’t worry, I have a plan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fun fact - i *do* have a long time family tailor. not one that babysat me or came to our house though - not that bougie! lol but she is arabic and I didn't want to use her actual name so i looked up arabic names and found Ishtar, which according to the internet, means "goddess of love" :-)  
hmm.... ;)


	13. The Secret Gala

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you thank you THANK YOU for the long wait. If you follow me on tumblr then you know that I've been overwhelmed with work & have been suffering from writers block but I'm fighting through it! I hope you guys are still following :)
> 
> Shoot me a message on Tumblr harmonioussolve.tumblr.com 
> 
> Love you all & I hope that everyone is staying safe & doing their civic duty of practicing social distancing
> 
> xx

Twenty Five candles.

After your run earlier, you made a trip to the store in an anxiety ridden haze. You had a hard time picking out exactly which candles to go with. You settled for twenty five vanilla, cream colored candles, all of various heights and sizes. It wasn’t the kind of fake vanilla scent that made you nauseous, but the kind that was noted in most feminine fragrances. Sensual. Sweet.

Now, you were standing in the middle of your apartment, wrapped in a towel just as you were the night that Arthur helped you move in, reveling at the placements of your unlit candles. Some were placed on your kitchen bar, your dining table, and your coffee table. You decided against placing them on your precious living room centerpiece - your bookshelf - knowing that with your bad luck, they might accidentally catch one of your plants or vinyls on fire.

You moved to the bedroom to see what they would look like as you entered. Candles were perched on top of the nightstand and your vanity, accompanying your makeup and makeup mirror. Three were placed on the dresser, all of different heights like Russian dolls. You unwrapped yourself and tossed the towel onto your bed.

After curling your hair into glossy, loose, vintage waves, you pinned one size back, flattering your jawline. When you were applying the finishing touches of your red lipstick, your hands started to tremble.

You looked over at the tumbling red satin that hung delicately from a black velvet hanger, hooked to the top edge of your bathroom door.

You stood bare before your dress, basking in its shine and flawless hems. _Ishtar is the best._ You ran your fingers along the bunched up fabric at the hips and your perfect red gel manicure scratched against the grain of the satin. Your cheeks burned as the corners of your lips were tempted to curl into a smile. You thought of Ishtar’s words from a few days before. _He’s different, yes?_

You dropped your hand to your side and moved to the dresser. Earlier that week, you had found time within your busy schedule to visit a high end boutique just outside of the city. The fact that you had hardly seen Arthur had motivated you even more to spend the money that was burning a hole in your pocket. You took out the lingerie and placed each piece on the bed - a red lacy bra with matching panties and a garter belt, with beige stockings.

You’ve never made the effort for someone like this before, not even serious boyfriends that you dated in the past for extensive periods of time.

You dressed yourself in the lingerie, gently pulling up the fragile stockings as to not create runs in them, and cinched them to the dangling clasps of the garter belt. You put on your nude red bottomed heels & finally stepped into your dress - shimmying it upwards and holding your breath as you reached behind to pull up the zipper.

It was five minutes to 7pm and by Arthur’s track record, he would knock on your door at 7 on the spot. Hell, he might even be pacing around in the hallway.

You fastened your dangling earrings in as you walked towards the door. You extended your hand out to the knob and, before you could reach it, Arthur knocked.

You inhaled deeply through your nose before opening the door. Arthur was standing nervously with his hands behind his back. The truth was that you were just as nervous as him - if not more. It was hard to bear the thought that everything could change after tonight.

He was dressed in a rich red suit - a three piece paired with a striped tie and a cream button down shirt. His hair was styled in his signature loose waves and the color of his suit brought out his bright chartreuse eyes. You exhaled and relaxed your shoulders just at the sight of him. However, the sight of you seemed to have the opposite effect.

When he raised his eyes to look at you, he tensed up immediately and his eyes went wide. An event such as tonight would be intimidating and a sensory overload for anyone who met your family, let alone at a gala event. _We’ll try to make the most of it, for now._

_ “Wow,” _he whispered. “You look stunning.”

You rolled your eyes. “Thank you. You look perfect,” you beamed.

“Thank you…” He smiled sheepishly at the floor. “I got something for you.”

Before you could ask _what?_ he withdrew his hands from behind his back to present a small bouquet of flowers - seven red roses.

“You deserve real ones.”

You gasped. “Oh, Arthur. Thank you so much.”

You inhaled their scent deeply before placing the bouquet on your kitchen counter and traded them for your evening clutch.

“Ready?” You asked.

“Absolutely.”

* * *

“Should we call a cab?” Arthur asked upon exiting the elevator. You turned your head to hide the smile on your face. You wouldn't dare to get in a cab with this gown on, but you weren’t going to say that.

“No, I already called us a car.”

“Oh.”

When the two of you stepped through the front doors, Arthur quickened his pace so that he could open the car door for you, but your driver appeared from around the corner. As Arthur was about to reach for the handle, he stopped him.

“Allow me, sir.”

“Oh. Thank you.” Arthur paused and glanced at you. He motioned with his hand for you to get settled in first.

Arthur slid in after you and sat at a respectable distance away without looking in your direction. It’s amazing how someone can continue to amuse you with just the simplest gestures.

The driver closed the door behind him before rounding the corner to his door. He got situated in his seat while you pulled out your phone to check it after it had buzzed.

_See you later, bitch!_

Sabrina. You huffed out a laugh as you replaced your phone into your clutch. You exhaled and rolled your neck in an effort to relax. You knew you had to say something - to at least warn Arthur about what he was about to get himself into. You were afraid that he wouldn't be interested anymore, not just in going to the gala but, being with you. Would he find you too unrelatable?

The ironic thing is that you’ve never found someone as relatable as Arthur. It didn’t matter what background either of you came from. You felt as though he understood you more than anyone else on a level that couldn’t be articulated - and you were very afraid to lose that. But, the truth was a lot of people - not just guys - did not cared for your background. It was hardly your lifestyle choice, but when the dreaded moment came for someone to finally see where you truly came from, it made them uncomfortable. You understood though. Hardly anyone lived the way that your family did. It was the kind of lush life that people were sure it was unattainable.

You were so far removed from your privileged upbringing that you refused to accept any kind of help from your parents. You knew better. Your mother would hold it above your head, even if she was repaid twice over.

And some previous lovers had come from almost the same upbringing as you, but it never made a difference. You thought that maybe if you gave those types of guys a chance that it would work. But, it didn’t. You couldn’t relate to them, ironically. The Wall Streeters, the trust fund babies, the Hampton dwellers. You couldn’t care less.

You reached over and placed your hand on top on his. He smiled up at you shyly. His hands were ice cold against your anxiously hot skin. You decided to change the subject in your mind. The two of you had plenty of time during this car ride - it wasn’t going to be a short one after all.

At the end of this, your family and what Arthur thought of you were the least of your worries, because there was something else that you still needed to tell him.

But that, too, could wait.

The glow of the traffic lights lit up Arthur’s face and the backseat in a wash of red. It occurred to you that you still knew nothing about this guy. “Can you tell me something?” You whispered.

Arthur peered up at you puzzlingly. “L-like what?”

You cleared your throat. “Sir, can you roll up the partition, please?”

“Yes, miss.” The driver obliged.

You looked back at Arthur. “Anything.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun- dun!


	14. The Secret Gala Pt. 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys like this one - it's a doozy lol. it took me forever to write
> 
> Shoot me a message on Tumblr harmonioussolve.tumblr.com
> 
> as always - thank u so much for ur support. It's hard to have the motivation to sit down + write during this weird time that we're living in. hope y'all are staying safe!
> 
> xx

He chuckled as he stumbled over his words. “I, um. I don’t know. Narrow it down for me, maybe?”

“Okay,” you straightened and crossed your legs. In your peripherals, you saw Arthur’s eyes watching you intently. You weren’t sure if he was aware of his now tighter grip on your hand.

The two of you continued to make comfortable small talk to pass the time in the car. You wished that this car ride could last forever - to skip the stupid gala. You wanted to tell the driver to turn around so that you could just take Arthur home.

“You can smoke in here, by the way - if you want to,” you offered.

“Oh… No thanks.” He nervously ran a hand through his hair.

“Why not?”

“I don’t want to seem rude.” He nodded in the direction of our driver, who was hidden by the partition.

“Oh, he doesn’t care, I’m sure.”

“I’m fine. Really.” Arthur said as he pressed his lips into a reassuring fine line. There was an awkward pause - an opportunity for you to speak up. But, when you started, Arthur spoke again.

“How far away is your parents place?” He asked as he looked away from you out his window.

“Not too much further,” you exhaled. You couldn’t do it. You were going to chicken out. Your heart was breaking before you could even start to let the words out.

Arthur craned his neck to get a better view out his window. Past him, the evening sky had darkened under a sheet of charcoal clouds. The sun shined through just slightly, casting a eerie glow on the rolling green hills. You guys were now officially outside of Gotham - not far, but far enough that the view outside of your window looked like another planet. No graffiti, no concrete, no fluffy clouds of pollution. Just lush green for as far as the eye could see with miles of black wooden fencing. Civilization was barely visible here, and where it was, was few and far between.

Arthur didn’t even notice you looking at him. While he was distracted by the view, you had the opportunity to regard him for just a second. His jawline, the way his brows were furrowed and emerald eyes were focused, his hair that fell just right and brushed along the side of his cream colored collar. It wasn’t fair.

He turned to you and his face fell when he noticed you staring. You retracted your hand quickly from his with a gasp, a nervous reaction. His eye darkened.

“What’s wrong?” He said softly.

He knew something was wrong. He could sense it. You warmed your hands back up by rubbing them together as your cheeks burned of embarrassment. Not only was something clearly wrong, but he had definitely caught you staring at him. “Nothing.”

He tugged at his own collar, readjusting it as if it were choking him.

“…Red is your color,” he stated suddenly. Quietly, he added, “and you are so… _beautiful_.”

Caught off guard, your only response was to blink back at him. His eyes were so tantalizing and green and solemn - you wondered if he realized how unique they were.

The driver pulled into the driveway - small beige pebbles crinkled under the tires and broke the silence. Through the gate, it stretched to the front of the house, where there was a roundabout. You peeked at Arthur out of the corner of your eye and you could see him become restive. The house that you grew up in was beautiful - tall and intimidating - decorated in towering brick with cascading ivy.

The driver stopped the car at the front door, where he shifted it into park and got out of his seat. He opened Arthur’s door, and he paused before stepping out. He took a deep breath and straightened his jacket after standing and extended his hand to yours. You wiped your sweaty palms on your dress before taking his hand. His tension was rubbing off on you.

He leaned in and whispered, “Is this really where you grew up?”

“Mhmm,” you hummed nonchalantly. Maybe if you acted like it was nothing, then it would _be_ nothing.

The two of you stepped into the vast foyer, the clicks of your heels echoing. The short train of your dress swayed behind you as a gust of air from the front door tousled your hair. Arthur lifted a hand to smooth it down for you, his eyes sparkling. You wanted so badly to ask him to leave with you right then and there but, you knew that tonight had to happen - whether you wanted it to or not.

One of the employees offered to take Arthur’s jacket & he politely declined. You looked around and everything was just how you remembered it - beige, glossy marble. Pristine and cold.

You guys started down the hallway into the living area where Sabrina greeted you warmly. She jumped up and down at the sight of you and wrapped her arms around your neck.

The colors of each room were all the same - monochromatic, neutral and, in your opinion, boring. A large sectional cream couch divided the room where a handful of people stood and sipped from champagne flutes. Colorful art pieces on canvases were dotted around the room, each perched on their own easels.

“_Finally_,” she joked lightheartedly. “And _Arthur_, you look dashing. Don’t you clean up nicely!”

“Thank you,” he started to say as Sabrina grabbed him by his neck and lowered him to her. She placed a kiss on each of his cheeks as his eyes widened. You giggled at his surprised reaction. Even though she was an acquired taste, you loved how your best friend made an effort to make him feel included.

“Oh! This is my date - Charlie.” Sabrina moved aside so that her date could greet the both of you. You’d never met this guy before. You were sure he was a Tinder match. No judgement. He seemed nice and he dressed appropriately. He was tall and blonde and looked like he was probably his high school’s quarterback.

“A red suit, man… I like it! Very bold,” he stated as he patted Arthur on his shoulder.

“Why don’t you guys grab a glass of champagne?” Sabrina offered. “We have to make the most of this fucking snooze fest - no offense.”

“None taken,” you stated with raised brows. You and Arthur walked over to a credenza at the far end of the sitting room, weaving in and out of people. Each of you grabbed a glass as you raised yours to him.

“To tonight.”

“To tonight,” Arthur repeated, gently clinking his glass to yours. You glimpsed at him slyly above the rim of your champagne flute, your lips quirking upward. The bubbles sizzled down your throat as you stopped yourself from gulping the whole glass out of nervousness.

Arthur leaned in to whisper in your ear. His warm breath brushed your neck and sent a chill down your spine. The sharp scent of aftershave and cologne was tempting. “I, um, wanted to tell you again how amazing you look.”

“Why, thank you,” you said as a flush dusted your cheeks. “You are, certainly, prince charming.”

A rose tint dusted his cheeks as he peered down at you.

You lowered your voice. “I guess we should get the hard part over with.”

“What’s that?” he said as he looked up and took in all of the high ceilings.

“Meeting my parents.” You took his hand and lead him through a short cut. You guided him through the swinging doors of the kitchen where a full staff was scrambling to get the next course ready.

“Do you guys always… have a full kitchen staff?” He questioned as you urged him to keep up with you.

“Erm… no. Just the main three chefs. They live here.”

“They _live_ here?” You ignored his astonishment and pulled him through the next set of swinging doors out of the kitchen. Down the hallway, you could hear your parents talking in the back room. The yellow light seeped into the hallway through the archway to another sitting area. You inhaled deeply & reassuringly rubbed Arthur’s arm.

This was the first hardest thing that you had to do tonight. _If I could just get through this, then i’ll be halfway there._

“Darling - finally! I was wondering where you were.” Your mother welcomed you with open arms. She delicately patted your back and kept you a safe distance away from the intricate up do that her hair was styled into. Her Chanel No. 5 perfume singed your nostrils. Your father was at the other end of the room, entertaining a group of guests that you didn’t recognize. His booming, deep laughter drowned out the sound of the music.

“I was just showing my lovely date around,” you said as you stepped aside to introduce Arthur, who was standing timidly behind you.

“You must be Arthur,” your mother said as she grabbed him gingerly by the shoulders and proceeded to kiss both of his cheeks. “I’m so glad you guys came.”

Arthur only nodded in response. Your mother adjusted her beige and brown fur shawl around her shoulders. Her dress was a fluffy, metallic navy blue with a strapless sweetheart neckline. It looked like something that someone would wear to a wedding if they were the mother of the bride.

Or, if you were someone’s rich mom.

She motioned her hand towards a tray of champagne flutes that sat on top of the counter. “Please, help yourselves.”

Arthur chose to hang on to his current glass, which was still half full. You set your now empty flute down on the counter to grab a new one. This was going to be a long night.

“So, _Arthur._ What do you do for a living?”

_Getting right to it, are we?_

Arthur shifted nervously. “Um, well… I’m pursuing a career in stand-up comedy. But for now, I work as a party clown.”

Her eyebrows shot up while she was taking a sip from her flute. “_Mmmm_… a party clown?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Ahh,” she considers, setting her glass down. “Interesting.”

You felt yourself become self conscious of the tone that she had with him. You could sense her being just the tiniest bit condescending and this conversation couldn’t end sooner.

“Isn’t that lovely?” You chimed in and tilted your head at her. “That’s how we met, actually. He goes around to all of the hospitals and makes the children laugh. He loves to spread joy in that way. You should try it sometime.”

Arthur mouth fell slightly agape as he stood quietly beside you. You suddenly found yourself thinking of how different your relationship with your mother was compared to his. He was her caregiver, for God’s sake. He probably wouldn’t dare to speak to her like that, as much as he might want to.

She lifted her chin with an amused smile, ignoring your rebuttal. “How old are you, Arthur?”

Your brows knitted together in shock. What an odd and unnecessary question to ask him at their first meeting. You couldn’t say that you were completely surprised, though. It was your mother, after all - ruthlessly and unabashedly nosy.

“…I’m 32.”

She hummed once again. “Quite the age difference. Have you thought of another career?”

You and Arthur exchanged looks. You wished you could pull one of those flimsy black holes from the old cartoons out of your evening clutch, drop it onto the floor, and jump into it - disappearing and taking Arthur with you.

“No ma’am. I… have always wanted to be a comedian. My mother… she says I was put on this earth to spread laughter -”

Your mother’s eyebrows raised once again. “Oh! That’s a wonderful _dream_ to have, Arthur. But, have you thought of a more…_ sustainable_ career?”

“What do you mean, ma’am?”

_Is she not going to correct him? She’s just going to let him call her, “ma’am?”_

“Well,” she started. “Here are my thoughts-“

_Maybe we should start running now._

She delicately swept a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she cleared her throat. _“- _I want my sweet girl to be taken care of. I need her to be with someone that has a solid career with substantial job security. I’m not sure if being a…_performer _would provide that - unless, you come from money.” She chortled into her champagne before she devoured the rest in a theatrical gulp.

“Mother, please-“

“I’m just being realistic, darling. Best to get this over with in the beginning, right?”

You scowled at her. She wondered why half of your relationships never lasted and the other half never even met her. She wasn’t a realist - she was _relentless_. Your heart shattered thinking of how Arthur might be feeling in this moment. You hoped that he wasn't actually taking her words or attitude into consideration. Your mother’s approval was certainly not needed when it came to being with him.

You were just about to pull him away when -

“How else would you be able to afford to live in New York?”

Your heart stopped.

“New York?” Arthur asked faintly. He glanced back and forth between your mother and you. Your throat began to swell. “… Are you leaving?”

You were frozen under his beseeching gaze. The backs of your eyes started to burn with tears that threatened to make themselves known.

“Well, if you two are as serious as you _seem_ to be about each other, wouldn’t you go together?” your mother challenged with knitted brows.

Your jaw clenched as you ground your teeth together. _No, no, no. Not like this. I should’ve told him in the car when I had the chance._

“… What? When?” Arthur looked at you desperately. He looked panicked - as if he was waiting for you to tell him that it wasn’t true. But, it was.

“In a month!” your mother exclaimed a little too excitedly. “I’m sorry, I assumed you knew!” She threw her hands up and shrugged her shoulders with a _tsk_. “I mean, you brought him as your _date_, darling. You never bring a date.”

Arthur rubbed the back of his neck before looking down at the floor. “I had no idea.”

“I was going to tell you -“

“Oh, my darling has been wanting to live in New York all of her life. We are _so_ proud of her.”

“I’m sure -” Arthur snorted as he clasped a hand over his mouth. 

“_Arthur…_” you whispered, rubbing his back to try to console him.

Suddenly, he doubled over in cackling laughter. He grabbed the edge of the counter to steady himself as your mother jolted in surprise, laying a delicate hand on her chest and gasping. A few of the other guests at the other end of the room turned there heads in your direction.

“I-I’m… sorry. I have… a condition,” he choked out in between gulps of air. His laughter became louder as he wrapped one of his arms around himself.

“_Arthur_,” you cooed. “Let me explain -“

“I… have to… get some fresh air.”

You tried to extend a pleading hand to his, but his fingers slipped though yours.

When you turned to follow him instead, your mother grabbed your arm, pulling you back to her.

“Sweetie, do you really want to go after him? He can’t take care of you the way that you should be,” she whispered into your ear so that the other guests couldn’t hear. “There’s something _wrong_ with him. You’re wasting your time.”

“How _dare_ you?” You spat as you sternly removed your arm from her grasp. “There is nothing _wrong_ with him and I am _not_ wasting my time - why would you say that?”

You paused as a few of the guests shot concerning glances toward you two.

You could feel your eyes begin to swell and your vision became blurry. “Don’t you want me to be happy?”

“Of course, darling but -“

“Good,” you interjected, holding up a hand. “Say no more. Please.”

She leaned back and squinted at you. “You love him, don’t you?”

Without answering, you turned and left the room. Down the back hallway, a pair of french doors led out to a second story concrete deck. You grabbed a bunch of the front of your dress and held it up off the floor. Between the window panes, you could see Arthur with his back to you, smoking a cigarette. He braced himself by placing his hands on the bannister.

You quietly opened the doors, the evening winter air immediately chilled you. You closed the doors behind you, crossed your arms, and slowly made you way to him.

“Arthur…” your voice, barely above a whisper, cracked. “Please, hear me out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> disclaimer - i love my mom & she is nothing like this lol just wanted to let y'all know


	15. The Secret Gala Pt. 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey y'all, this is deff one of my fav chapters that i've done so far. enjoy & thanks for reading.
> 
> come say hi on tumblr harmonioussolve.tumblr.com
> 
> xx

“Why did you even bring me here?”

His voice was hoarse after taking one last drag. Arthur flicked his cigarette across the back lawn and turned to face you, crossing his arms to mirror you. And despite him being so upset, you couldn’t help but notice the angelic glow that tonight’s full moon cast upon him.

He looked defeated, as if he thought you were his last chance, and you just blew it for him.

“_Arthur…”_

“Did you bring me here as a joke?” He asked flatly.

“What?… No! Why would you say that?”

He snorted as he shook his head. He ran his hand through his hair, frustrated as his voice began to rise. “I don’t belong here… at _all_. And your mother clearly doesn’t like me. And I don’t know why you’re with me, especially if you’re just going to leave me.”

“I don’t _want_ to leave you.”

“Sure. That’s why you didn’t bother to tell me that you’re moving, right?”

A heavy tear broke free from your eyes and ran down your face. “I was _going_ to tell you… tonight. I just wished I would’ve told you sooner… myself.”

Arthur looked downcast at his shoes and kicked around imaginary dirt. Pensive, the corners of his mouth were turned downwards.

“Why are you with me?” he asked suddenly.

You couldn’t bare the fact that it was your own fault he was so upset, that he doubted your genuineness because you kept something from him. Any progress that you had made with gaining his trust had depleted. You should’ve warned him - about everything.

“What?’ you asked, blindsided.

“Why waste your time?” Though it was a question, it sounded more like a statement. He threw his hands in the air. “I never would’ve set foot in a house like this before… and tonight was the first time I’ve ever had champagne. And I’m a joke to your mother. So, why am I even here?”

He took a few steps closer to you, still keeping a few feet of distance between you two. Your lips parted in shock at him being so angry. You didn’t think that Arthur had an angry bone in his body. _Say it._

“Tell me - _why am I even here?_”

“Because I love you_.”_

He blinked back at you, bewildered. You couldn’t keep it to yourself anymore - you had no choice. It needed to be known - to him and to admit it, out loud, to yourself. As your heart beat wildly in your chest, you realized that no one had ever made you feel this self-conscious about a declaration of your own feelings before. You just hoped that maybe, he felt the same way. Or, at the very least, he would know that he was anything but a joke to you, that he meant something to you.

After a deafening pause, you had to say something. You took a step closer to him. “_Please_, Arthur. I found out about the move just shortly after we met and it isn’t even set in stone yet. Everything changed… when I met you. I know we haven’t known each other that long, but -”

He shook his head as if to shake him out of his own thoughts. “No, you don’t.”

“What?”

“No,” he stated again as he sniffled, taking a step back. “There’s no way someone like you _loves _someone like me. It’s not real.”

“I don’t just love you,” you said as you nearly closed the distance between you two. “I’m _in_ love with you.”

_Hey Sabs, does this count as another grand, romantic gesture?_

“No,” he shook his head again and closed his eyes. You reached up and cupped his face with your hands, the pads of your fingers caressing his sharp cheekbones.

“Please, look at me.” He leaned into your touch, slightly letting go of his self-doubt, as you rubbed your thumbs beneath his eyes, wiping away at his tear sodden eyelashes. You usually weren't great with your words when it came to expressing your own feelings, but you had to try your best to prove to him how strongly you felt. _Or you’ll lose him._

“I’m imagining this.” He slipped his hand under his tie and rubbed his chest, squeezing his eyes shut.

“_No,_” you cooed. “You’re not. I love you… and I’m in love with you. I’m completely enamored by you and I have been since I met you and I had to tell you. And you deserve someone who loves you. I want to be that.” You dropped your hand lower to run your thumb along his lips. “I want _you_.”

Arthur tilted his chin down to meet your lips. He kissed you, chastely at first, until you grabbed fist fulls of his jacket, pulling him in. He snaked his arms around your waist and pulled you close to him, pressing his body to yours as he deepened the kiss. He pulled away and peered down at you with furrowed brows, admiring you closely, his eyes darting back and forth between yours.

“I’m so in love with you…” he muttered, barely above a whisper as if he were still afraid to tell you. You wrapped your arms around his neck and intertwined your fingers as a heat flashed across your body at his confession. “…And I have been since we met, too. I even wrote it in my journal. I can show you.”

He paused, contemplating as uncertainly returned. “… A-are you sure?”

“_Yes._ I’ve never been more sure,” you swept your fingers along his ear, brushing his hair back. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.”

He smile so brightly that his whole face lit up and your heart swelled with relief. You cuddled up to his chest and he squeezed you as his signature scent engulfed you with extra hints of champagne and tobacco. You turned to look back up at him with fluttering eyelashes.

Breathlessly, you whispered, “would you come home with me?”

Every other time that you were tempted by him, you thought you couldn’t possibly want him more. Until now. “_Please?_”

“Already?” he asked with the most genuine, innocent curiosity in his eyes.

“I have a couple of things I wanna do,” you winked up at him playfully as you grabbed Arthur’s wrists and placed his hands on your ass. He released a shaky laugh as he hid his blushing face in the crook of your neck. You tilted your head so that your lips brushed along his ear. “Like I said - _I want you_.”

He pulled away from you promptly so that he could see that you were serious. “Oh… I’m… are you sure..? I mean… you do?” he stammered.

“Yes,” you laughed. “Unless, you don't want to… then, that’s okay too!”

“N-no! I do!” He blurted out, then looked down, flustered. “Sorry…”

“Don’t be,” you teased as you took a step back to eye him up and down. _Damn, he looks good in that suit._

_ “Jesus Christ_, you two, get a_ room,” _Sabrina guffawed as she stepped outside with Charlie in tow. The two of you jumped at their sudden appearance.

“Trying to!” You paused and winked again as Arthur’s face turned red. _Oh, he has no idea. _“Actually_… _we were just leaving.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SAY IT WITH ME: SMUTTY SMUT SMUT!


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